Christians banned from 8 villages in India’s Chhattisgarh state
In the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, eight village councils have passed a resolution that bans Christians from staying in their villages, requiring them to either renounce their faith or leave. The order impacts about 100 Christians whose property and fields were threatened with confiscation if they did not comply, according to reports.
The villages in Sukma district collectively approved the resolution, instructing Christians to either abandon their faith or face the loss of all belongings and property, reported the U.K.-based organization Christian Solidarity Worldwide.
A local leader from one of the affected villages, Michwar, upheld the decree, reportedly asserting that the authority of the village councils supersedes India's Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion under Article 25.
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The ban, which appears to be a targeted effort to eradicate Christianity in these areas, has forced at least 40 people from their homes, according to Asia News.
On Nov. 18, a group of Christians lodged a complaint at the Gadiras Police Station, presenting audio evidence of statements made by the village chief of Michwar. However, the police refused to register a formal complaint, which is necessary to initiate a legal investigation.
Instead, police officers asked the complainants to take them to the fields. When they arrived, they encountered a mob of about 1,500 people who had begun looting the Christians' crops and demanding their renouncement of Christianity. The police subsequently withdrew without intervening, leaving the community without protection.
On Nov. 19, representatives from the Chhattisgarh Christian Forum approached the district collector and the superintendent of police, urging them to take action. The authorities suggested that a complaint be filed.
Despite the directive, the registration was delayed until Nov. 21, leaving villagers without recourse in the immediate aftermath of the looting.
About 40 villagers whose properties were destroyed are now seeking shelter in a church building in Michwar. The lack of immediate police action has contributed to the sense of vulnerability among Christians in the region who fear continued attacks and persecution.
Asia News quoted Fr. Thomas Vadakumkara of the Jagadalpur diocese as saying that “fundamental rights are systematically denied” to Christians across many districts of Chhattisgarh. He explained that Christians are denied the right to cultivate their fields, bury their dead and live on their own land.
The violence and forced eviction of Christians from the villages of Sukma come against a backdrop of increasing tension for the community across India.
The United Christian Forum, a Delhi-based organization, recorded 673 incidents of violence against Christians across India through October this year. Chhattisgarh itself accounts for 139 of these incidents, ranking second only to Uttar Pradesh in terms of reported hate crimes.
In a separate incident on Oct. 30 in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district, a group of 14 Christians was reportedly attacked by a mob as police officers watched, reported the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern.
The Christians, who had defied orders to abandon their faith and proceeded to harvest crops from a communal field, were beaten with wooden rods. Several victims, including two women, sustained serious injuries, including broken bones and head trauma. The homes of the victims were also destroyed, and the police officer attempting to intervene was injured during the attack.
Nagesh Micha, a Christian rights activist, questioned the police's inaction. “The police, which are supposed to uphold the fundamental rights of an individual, have allowed 14 people to be beaten in their presence. This means there are higher authorities who are supporting the mobs,” he was quoted as saying.
Chhattisgarh's Sukma and Dantewada districts are part of the state's tribal, or indigenous, belt, where local councils, or panchayats, often wield considerable influence.
