245 incidents of violence against Christians in India between January-April: United Christian Forum
New Delhi: In a troubling development, the United Christian Forum (UCF) has reported a steep rise in incidents of violence against Christians across India. According to the organisation, 245 cases were registered between January and April 2025, based on data collected through the forum’s helpline service.
The UCF, which has been collecting data via its helpline number (1-800-208-4545), stated that Christians continue to face an alarming frequency of violence, averaging two incidents per day. The report highlighted a sharp escalation in such incidents since 2014, reflecting a worrying trend in the treatment of religious minorities in the country.
The data revealed by UCF paints a grim picture of the situation. Christian tribals and women have emerged as particularly vulnerable groups, facing violence disproportionately compared to men. The organisation pointed out that the scale of violence has steadily increased over the years, with 601 incidents reported in 2022, 734 in 2023, and a staggering 834 incidents in 2024.
“In 2025, from January to April, 245 incidents of violence against Christians were reported from 19 states of India, with 55 incidents in January, 65 in February, 76 in March, and 49 in April. Uttar Pradesh continues to be at the top with 50 incidents, followed by 46 in Chhattisgarh,” the UCF said in a statement.
Other states witnessing violence against Christians include Andhra Pradesh (14 incidents), Bihar (16), Delhi (1), Gujarat (8), Haryana (12), Himachal Pradesh (3), Jharkhand (17), Karnataka (22), Madhya Pradesh (14), Maharashtra (6), Odisha (2), Punjab (6), Rajasthan (18), Tamil Nadu (1), Telangana (1), Uttarakhand (2), and West Bengal (11).
The types of violence reported by UCF include physical assaults, murders, sexual violence, threats, social boycotts, and attacks on religious properties. In several instances, Christian places of worship have been desecrated or prayer services disrupted, underscoring the growing climate of intolerance.
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India is the place for large-scale organic production, says Commerce Secretary
Nuremberg (PTI): India is the place for large-scale organic production and the country is keen to collaborate with the EU to strengthen this ecosystem to cater to rising demands, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said here on Tuesday.
Agrawal also said that India's organic products exports have grown threefold over the last 10 years, and the government now aims to triple them again over the next five years.
"India is the place" to serve the world as a good organic food basket, he said, adding that India has 150.3 million hectares of agricultural land under cultivation.
He said that the organic ecosystem is growing very fast in the country, as today, 3 per cent of India's cultivation is organic.
In India, 4.7 million hectares of land is under organic cultivation, with 2.4 million farmers practising it, and it is only increasing by the day, he said.
The Secretary was speaking at the inauguration of Biofach 2026. About 100 exhibitors from 20 Indian states, including Assam, Meghalaya, and Kerala, are here to showcase their organic food products at the world's leading trade fair Biofach show (February 10-13).
He informed that India is emerging as a credible supplier of organic food, both within India and outside.
"I see this happening in a much faster manner. So if world needs the state for organic production, I think India is the place, and we like to work with all of you to see how we can improve the Indian organic food ecosystem to serve both the Indian rising demand within India and also the rising demand in two of our biggest markets," he said.
He called for creating credibility around organic foods. There is a need to ensure trust and credibility around the certification of these products.
India started with the national programme for organic production way back in 2001 and that was designed to adopt the international standards of organic goods.
"And now we are bringing in cooperatives in a big way," he said, adding that cooperatives can bring in and aggregate farmers to create good, viable organic ecosystem in various villages across the country.
