A seven-phase vote to elect a new lower house of parliament in India next month is judged as crucial for conditions affecting Christians in the country, and Christianity in general in the Indian sub-continent.
Voting begins today and concludes on May 19, a period deemed as necessary to allow some 900 million people to cast their ballot.
Reported instances of violence specifically targeting Christians for no other reason than their religious affiliation have significantly increased over recent months amid the pre-election period. The concern now is that another election victory by the ruling BJP party worsen the situation for Christians.
Since the assumption of power by the BJP since 2014, sectarian attacks against Christians increased by 425 percent, raising the country to number 10 on an unenviable list of countries that rank as dangerous for Christians.