Christian Family Kicked Out of Their Home for Refusing To Convert

Newsweek

2 days ago

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A Christian family has been barred from their village in India after refusing to convert to Hinduism, an international Christian human rights organization has reported.
A man identified only as Vikram, his wife and their five children had lived in their Hindu-majority village in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh for years before villagers stormed their home and kicked them out on June 16, the International Christian Concern (ICC) said.
Christians are facing persecution in India, according to the ICC and other organizations, amid a push for India to become a Hindu nation.
Newsweek has contacted India's Ministry of Minority Affairs for comment via email.
The Context
This expulsion highlights intensifying religious pressures in India, where Hindu nationalist groups and politicians increasingly advocate for a Hindu-majority identity and stricter legal boundaries for religious minorities.
Forced conversions, social boycotts, and anti-conversion laws have contributed to a climate of fear among Christian communities—particularly in states such as Chhattisgarh, where such policies are most aggressively enforced.
There were 160 reports of violent attacks against Christians in India last year, the European Centre for Law and Justice reported in March, including attacks on church and prayer meetings and physical assaults.
What To Know
Village leaders confronted Vikram and his family last month, demanding that they abandon their Christian faith and participate in a Ghar Wapsi ("homecoming") ceremony to convert to Hinduism.
When Vikram refused, a public meeting was held where it was announced that the family would be expelled from the village, the ICC said. Soon after, a mob attacked their home, throwing their possessions into the street and allegedly abusing their three daughters.
Vikram went to the police, who advised villagers to let the family stay in their home but took no action when they refused, the organization reported.
Newsweek has contacted local authorities for the state of Chhattisgarh for comment via email.
Forced to leave, the family built a temporary shelter in a nearby forest, but ICC staff have since provided them with short-term housing, along with food and clothing.
Chhattisgarh is one of 11 Indian states with anti-conversion laws that, despite being meant to prevent forced conversations, are widely reported to be used to intimidate and penalize religious minorities, the ICC said.
Christian Persecution in India
In recent years, India has witnessed a marked escalation in the persecution of its Christian population, driven in large part by the rise of Hindu nationalist ideology and the spread of anti-conversion laws across several states.
At least 12 Indian states have enacted anti-conversion laws, which have roots from postindependence governments that feared colonial mass conversions.
But religious freedom advocates say that, in practice, the laws are being used to intimidate and criminalize minorities.
There have been multiple reports of Christian pastors and congregation members being arrested on charges of forced conversions during meetings with no evidence, according to the European Centre for Law and Justice.
Indian Christians hold placards and shout slogans during a protest in Bangalore on March 13, 2013, against Hindu right-wing Bajrang Dal, a militant organization that had allegedly attacked Christian worshippers in Udupi in north Karnataka...
Indian Christians hold placards and shout slogans during a protest in Bangalore on March 13, 2013, against Hindu right-wing Bajrang Dal, a militant organization that had allegedly attacked Christian worshippers in Udupi in north Karnataka five days earlier. More
AP
These developments are occurring against the backdrop of a broader ideological shift under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, which draws ideological roots from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh—a Hindu nationalist organization that promotes the vision of India as a Hindu nation.
Its mission statement said, "From its inception, the goal before the Sangh was to attain the pinnacle of glory of the Hindu Rashtra [nation] … through organizing the entire society."
What People Are Saying
A Christian leader local to Vikram's village told the International Christian Concern: "This is not the first time they've been attacked. This is the fifth village meeting held to pressure the family into Ghar Wapsi."
The European Centre for Law and Justice said in its March report: "Often hailed as the world's largest democracy, India has become increasingly hostile toward Christians and other religious minorities in recent years."
It added: "Hindu nationalist influences have increasingly shaped state policy, undermining secular governance and institutionalizing discrimination against religious minorities."
What Happens Next
As calls for stricter legal definitions of religious identity gather support among Hindu nationalist groups and lawmakers, minority Christian communities in India may face increasing social, legal and physical risks.
International advocates continue to monitor such incidents, pressing for stronger Indian government intervention to protect minority rights and urging U.S. policymakers to prioritize religious freedom in bilateral relations with India.
The fate of Vikram's family remains uncertain as efforts to return them to their home have stalled and protection for displaced Christian families in Chhattisgarh is limited.