The All India Catholic Union (AICU), which represents about 16 million Catholics, has appealed to India’s government to go beyond symbolic gestures and urgently address the issue of targeted violence against Christians, which peaked during the Christmas season. The AICU, representing the Catholic laity in 120 Diocesan units across India, said that attacks in states like Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh have increased, with rights groups documenting hundreds of incidents, including assaults, disruption of worship, and misuse of anti-conversion laws in 2025.