(a) whether the Government is aware of the report published by the United Christian Forum over the incidents of 486 attacks targetted against Christians in the year, 2021 in the country;
(b) if so, the details of the attacks, State-wise;
(c) whether the Government has initiated any action against the culprits and if so, the details thereof; and
(d) the steps taken by the Government to protect the Christians from such attacks in future?
MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS
(SHRI MUKHTAR ABBAS NAQVI)
(a) to (d) “Public Order” and “Police” are State subjects as per the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. The responsibility of maintaining law and order, registration and prosecution of crimes against all citizens including minorities, rests with the respective State Governments. As such, specific data regarding attacks against individual community is not maintained centrally. The Government of India monitors the internal security and law and order situation in the country and issues appropriate advisories from time to time to maintain peace, public tranquility and communal harmony. Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) are deployed to aid and assist State Governments, on their request, to maintain law and order and public tranquility.
The Government of India has issued communal Harmony Guidelines, which, inter-alia lay down standard operating procedure to deal with situations arising out of any violence. These guidelines are aimed to maintain due vigilance, careful planning and preparatory measures to prevent and pre-empt communal or any such type of violence.
Further, the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has been set up by Government, which looks into specific complaints regarding deprivation of rights and safeguards of the minorities and take up such matters with the appropriate authorities. As per the mandate, the Commission takes appropriate action on reports and complaints received from time to time as per the requirement and refers them to the concerned State Government for necessary action. During the past three years, it has been observed that there has been a decline in the total no. of complaints received by NCM.
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