Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Christmas morning service at the Cathedral Church of Redemption in New Delhi on Thursday. | Photo credit: ANI
The National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) on Friday (December 26, 2025) welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Cathedral Church of the Redemption on Christmas Day. The organization also appealed to the government to crack down on those who attack Christians, their places of worship and traditional religious symbols.
Roar. Asir Ebenezer, Secretary General of NCCI said in a statement that the Prime Minister’s visit to the church, especially at a time when attacks on Christians are being reported from various parts of the country, can be seen as a reassuring signal to the community.
“This may indicate that the then government and the political leadership of the Union government led by the National Democratic Alliance stand by the Christian community of India. While welcoming this gesture by the Prime Minister, NCCI records its repeated sincere appeal to the Government of India and its NDA allies to unequivocally distance themselves from the acts of violence and intimidation perpetrated by misinformed miscreants.”
The organization also called on the government to condemn the attacks on Christians in the strongest possible terms and to take strong action against those responsible for the act. He added that action against those who attack Christians will ensure that the goodwill gestures made by the Prime Minister at Christmas and other representatives of the ruling dispensation on various other occasions are seen as meaningful commitments rather than token performances.
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It added that NCCI strongly believes that clear and strong statements, coupled with swift action by the highest government authorities, will send a clear message in the country.
“At a time when India is striving to become a strong and responsible global economic power, such steps also reassure the international community that India firmly stands behind its constitutional values and will not allow any individual or group to act with impunity, regardless of political proximity or affiliation,” the statement said, thanking the individuals, communities, leaders and representatives from various political parties who stood in solidarity with the community during these difficult times.
Published – 26 Dec 2025 21:26 IST
