Convention to Highlight Concerns of Indian Christians

A national Christian convention with the theme “Towards a Self-Reliant, Progressive, and United India” will be held on Saturday, November 29, 2025, at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. The event aims to draw the government’s attention to the growing concerns of the Christian community in India.

Organized during the Parliament session scheduled from November 24 to December 25, 2025, the convention will reaffirm the constitutional rights of every citizen, irrespective of religion. It will emphasize four key objectives:

1. To exhort the Christian community to deepen their relationship with Christ through His Word and live lives of holiness and authentic Christian witness.

2. To raise awareness of Christians’ duties toward the nation and their constitutional rights as citizens of India.

3. To demand the granting of Scheduled Caste (SC) status for Christians of Dalit origin.

4. To appeal to both ruling and opposition parties to address the rising incidents of violence against Christians.

Twenty-two Christian Members of Parliament (MPs) from different political parties have extended their full support to the convention.

Bishops, heads of Churches, and leaders of various Christian organizations from Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), representing around 200 denominations and independent churches, are expected to participate. The previous convention drew an estimated 20,000 participants.

Mr. Anto Antony, a member of the Parliament and Chairman of the Indian Christian Parliamentarians’ Council, is among the members of the organizing committee. The National Advisory Council (NAC), comprising more than 100 representatives from each Indian state, is overseeing the arrangements, with assistance from the Delhi-NCR Local Organizing Committee (LOC).

Urging Christians to attend the gathering in large numbers, community leader Mr. Roger Samuel said,

“It’s really important to participate in the National Christian Convention because we, as followers of Christ, face growing challenges in practicing our faith, especially in BJP-ruled states. Christians are often persecuted and falsely accused of conversions. They are also denied access to welfare schemes meant for the poor and needy simply because we follow Christ. This convention, held in the heart of Delhi, seeks to appeal to the government to end this discrimination and uphold the right to equality for all citizens.” 

(Jose Kalathil, a veteran Indian Catholic journalist based in New Delhi, contributes to various magazines and platforms, both in the country and abroad.)