The National Council of Churches In India is asking churches all over the world to pray for the Dalits.

The theme for this year comes from a verse in Isaiah that says, "seek justice, rescue the oppressed."

Dalits are the so called 'untouchables' living in India. They are discriminated against - and Christian Dalits face particularly harsh treatment.

There has been an increase in violence against Christians in general this year, particularly in India's Orissa state.

The Global Council of Indian Christians is livid over the situation in India and has accused the local government of being unable - maybe even unwilling - to stop the persecution.

"Fear still lurks in the Christian community in Kandhamal, and as Christmas approaches, they are traumatized not only by the memory of the anti-Chrsitian violence last December, but also by the failure of the administration to contain the larger scale violence unleashed upon the Kandhamal Christians after the unfortunate murder of Swami Laxamananada," the president of GCIC told AsiaNews.

Many believers have been murdered and several churches burned.

Source: CBN News, AsiaNews