A Christian family in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh has been expelled from their village after refusing to renounce their faith and convert to Hinduism. On June 16, village leaders confronted Vikram, his wife, and their five children, demanding they convert or be banished. When Vikram stood firm in his faith in Christ, a public meeting was convened where leaders declared the family unwelcome in the village. What followed was a mob attack on their home—food and belongings were tossed into the street, and their daughters were abused. This violent campaign is part of a broader push across India, especially in states like Chhattisgarh, to force Christians into the Hindu faith through a ritual known as Ghar Wapsi, or "homecoming," in line with a growing nationalist agenda to make India a Hindu-only nation.

This was not the first time Vikram’s family faced pressure to convert—this incident marked the fifth village meeting to coerce them into Ghar Wapsi. Despite Vikram reporting the attack to local police, authorities took no significant action beyond advising the village to allow the family’s return, which was outright rejected. Forced to flee, the family sought temporary shelter in a nearby forest until International Christian Concern (ICC) provided aid. Chhattisgarh, one of 11 states with anti-conversion laws, continues to use these laws not to prevent forced conversions, but to marginalize and displace minority Christians under the guise of protecting religious harmony.

SOURCE: International Christian Concern