Several villages in the tribal majority state of Chhattisgarh, India, made a decision to cast out all Christian believers. The villages participating were Dabba, Doodhiras, Gonderas, Gurli, Jagadlanar, Kundanpal, and Kunna. Here the local councils made the Christians choose between the options of leaving their homes and lands behind or renouncing their faith. According to the witnesses, the councils threatened the Christians to loot and plunder their properties if they did not comply with their demands.

After the decision of the councils, local Christians wanted to file a complaint at the police, but their request was refused. The police insisted on visiting the camps, but at that time they arrived, a mob of around 1500 people strong gathered and already looted the Christians’ properties. The police left the scene without intervening.

This issue was brought to the Sukma district authorities by the Chhattisgarh Christian Forum (CCF), and they managed to achieve the case being registered. However, no investigation was started as of the 21st of November, and in the meantime, 40 Christians were forced to leave their homes behind due to their properties being looted. Many of them sought refuge in a church in Michwar.

In an interview with AsiaNews, Fr. Thomas Vadakumkara of the Jagadalpur diocese said that these types of incidents are widely spread in many districts.

“Fundamental rights are systematically denied: burying the dead, staying on one’s own land and cultivating one’s own fields. This discrimination undermines human dignity and violates the principles laid down in the Indian Constitution.”

Added Fr. Vadakumkara. Almost in all states of India, the crimes against Christians increased this year, according to the United Christian Forum (UCF). Up until October, 673 cases of violence against Christians have been registered, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh being the two states with the highest numbers of incidents.

Source: AsiaNews

Photo: Suyash Dwivedi