Baselios Marthoma Mathews III, the Supreme Head of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, declared that ongoing assaults on Christians and other minorities persist due to the ruling party's failure to intervene or denounce them, interpreting this inaction as evidence of a deliberate strategy. His statements emerge amid reports of targeted violence against churches and disruptions to Christmas festivities nationwide in December 2025.

The church leader specifically implicated organizations affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), including the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad, in orchestrating attacks on minority communities. He highlighted a progression from assaults on nuns to priests, alongside the vandalism of religious celebrations conducted outside church premises, warning that intrusions into sacred spaces could soon follow.

Emphasizing the Indian Constitution's assurance of equality among all citizens regardless of majority or minority status, Mathews III asserted that every religion holds equal rights to belief, practice, and propagation. He condemned certain terrorist groups and communal elements for undermining these freedoms, equating the silence of those in authority to tacit endorsement of such violations.

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Citing an episode where Christmas symbols were demolished in a shopping mall accompanied by Hindi chants rejecting foreign religions, the leader drew parallels to former U.S. President Donald Trump's "America for Americans" rhetoric, arguing that analogous "India for Hindus" slogans hold no validity. He invoked historical migrations, noting that Aryans arrived from Iran around 2000 BC to establish Brahmanical traditions, while Dravidians originated from Africa via Iran, thereby questioning the notion of who qualifies as a foreigner in contemporary discourse.

These remarks represent a notable departure from Mathews III's 2023 engagement with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during which he commended federal development efforts and expressed optimism about resolving Christian institutional concerns through dialogue. He reaffirmed that Christianity originated amid persecution and martyrdom, stating that Christians remain prepared for such sacrifices if RSS-driven exclusionary ideologies intensify, while underscoring the community's stable 2.47 percent population share without coerced conversions.

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