In the Kanker district of Chhattisgarh, India, over 400 villagers from 22 communities gathered on October 5 to formally ban Christians from using local burial grounds, escalating an already hostile environment for believers. The meeting, fueled by concerns over rising conversions to Christianity, ended with a resolution to strip Christians of burial rights and deny them access to community land. Chhattisgarh now ranks as India’s second-worst state for Christian persecution—just behind Uttar Pradesh—as Hindu nationalist groups intensify efforts to suppress worship, evangelism, and even the constitutional right to religious freedom.

According to the Progressive Christian Alliance, Deepak Yadav, a Christian from Banspatar village, was interrogated during the meeting and pressured to “reconvert” to Hinduism through the Ghar Wapsi ceremony. When he refused, he was expelled. Discussions also included calls to destroy churches and expel Christians from forest lands. Local councils were instructed to investigate conversions and stop Christian outreach, with many already passing anti-Christian resolutions. In several Kanker villages, large blue billboards now stand at entry points, declaring them “no-go zones” for pastors and missionaries under India’s PESA law. Christian groups have since filed lawsuits, warning that such measures mark a dangerous step toward religious apartheid in rural India.

SOURCE: ICC