The concrete cross on a hillock in Madanpur village in Korba district was popular among Christians living in the village and its nearby areas for more than two decades. 

They gathered around for prayers, especially to do the Way of the Cross during Lenten season, said Arun Pannalal, president of Chhattisgarh Christian Forum that works among persecuted Christians in the state.  

“We saw the cross destroyed and the temple near it. But we do not know exactly when it happened,”  told Pannalal  on Oct. 30.

He said some villagers informed them on Oct. 29 and they plan to complain to police. “We will also seek the intervention of the state’s chief minister through district officials,” he said.

He said the land on which the cross stood was “not officially owned by the Church but the Christian villagers have used it for many years and the local villagers never objected to its use,” Pannalal said.

“The sudden destruction of the cross is to target the Christians,” he said.

Right-wing Hindu groups have intensified campaigns to convert local tribal people to the Hindu religion, he said. Part of the program is to intimidate Christians, mostly tribal people, in the region, Pannalal said.

“These new temples seek to establish that tribal people were Hindus and force them to convert to Hinduism. They also accuse Christians of forcefully converting tribal people,” he alleged.

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