Since November, more than a thousand tribal Christians have been brutally attacked and forced from their homes in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh. 

While persecution has always posed a significant threat to Indian Christians, violence within the villages of Chhattisgarh increased when anti-Christian mandates launched a new wave of hate and legal punishment directed toward believers. Christianity Today reports that in November, Hindu right-wing groups made it illegal for Christians to worship in their own homes, to carry out rituals for weddings and burials, and for pastors to provide care to their congregations. Since then, these extremist groups have been increasingly hostile toward Christians, especially in more rural villages where Christianity spreads rapidly as people in need of hope and freedom find Christ. Videos of these attacks have emerged on social media, showing a group ripping up Bibles being distributed by missionaries, security footage from a break-in at a church, and the destruction of a Virgin Mary statue.

This violence is led by groups that adhere to Hindutva, an ideology that believes all true Indians are Hindu, and those following any other religion should be converted or eradicated, lest their foreign ideals influence the Hindu culture. They view Christianity, which comprises less than 3% of India’s population, as a central threat, often claiming the number of Christians to be larger than reality to fuel their propaganda. 

Due to their beliefs, forced conversions are a common tactic used by Hindu vigilantes. Several accounts have been reported of Hindus capturing tribal Christians, taking them to the temple, and performing Hindu purification rituals on them against their will. A group of extremists would not allow the funeral of a tribal Christian woman to continue until her family renounced their faith, converted, and cremated the woman’s body, according to Hindu tradition. These conversions are viewed by Hindus as “homecomings,” or ghar wapsi, which means a returning to one’s original roots. 

Approximately 1,500 Christians have fled from their villages since November3 as mobs have vandalized churches and places of worship, and assaulted believers who refused to renounce their faith. An estimated 125 people have been gathered in a Narayunpur stadium for over a month, braving the cold temperatures and waiting for the government to provide them with aid, as well as a way to return home safely.

The Indian government has been largely silent on this issue, neglecting to provide shelter or supplies for those forced from their communities. In many instances, law enforcement has failed to intervene amidst violence, choosing inaction as they witnessed the conflicts and leading many to believe they are biased against Christianity. In protest, demonstrations have been held across the region, demanding legal action for the devastating damages incurred against the people and properties of the affected villages in Chhattisgarh.