USA's United Church of Christ General Synod passes resolution on violence against religious minorities in India

By A Representative

The Thirty-Fifth General Synod of the United Church of Christ (UCC), meeting in Kansas City, USA, has passed a resolution expressing concern over reports of rising violence and discrimination against religious minorities in India. The resolution, titled “A Response to Violence Against Religious Minorities in India,” reflects the denomination’s stated commitment to global human rights and religious freedom.

The resolution refers to incidents of violence and displacement affecting Christian, Muslim, and indigenous communities in India, citing developments since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in 2014. It also references reports of ethnic and religious conflict in Manipur, where tens of thousands have been displaced and religious structures destroyed.

The UCC document criticizes India's anti-conversion laws, inflammatory political rhetoric, and lack of legal accountability for attacks on minority communities. It urges the U.S. State Department to consider designating India a “country of particular concern” under international religious freedom guidelines. The resolution also encourages U.S. lawmakers to raise these concerns in diplomatic and legislative forums.

UCC members are being encouraged to engage with their congressional representatives about India’s legal and political developments, including the Citizenship Amendment Act and anti-conversion statutes at the state level.

This move aligns the UCC with other American Christian organizations, such as the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA and the United Methodist Church, which have adopted similar positions in recent years.

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