Members from Hindutva organisations, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal, stormed and vandalised a church in Chhattisgarh’s Raipur, alleging that forced religious conversion was taking place.
The attack took place on August 10. The Hindutva members attacked the Christians present there and chanted the Hanuman Chalisa, creating a scene.
A video of the incident showing a face-off between the Christians and the VHP-Bajrang Dal members has emerged on social media. Police personnel were caught in between trying to control the situation.
Chhattisgarh has a long history of caste-based conversions, with many individuals, especially from SC/ST and Dalits, preferring to convert to other religions to avoid caste-based discrimination. While this situation exists across several Indian states, Chhattisgarh in particular has seen violent attacks on the Christian community over the years.
In this year alone, there have been incidents of religion-based crimes against minorities in India. Two Catholic nuns from Kerala were arrested by the Chhattisgarh police on July 26, following allegations by right-wing workers of human trafficking and carrying out forced religious conversions. The nuns have been granted bail with certain conditions.
In May, a mob led by leaders of Bajrang Dal and VHP walked into a church service alleging religious conversion, while shouting slogans of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and assaulting the people inside.
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