ICC Note:

In May 2014, dozens of villages across India’s Chhattisgarh state passed local ordinances banning all non-Hindu religious activities from taking place within the villages’ boundaries. In effect, these ordinances achieved what they were intended to achieve, banning Christianity outright. Christian organizations have appealed these ordinances to the Chhattisgarh High Court claiming that the fundamental right of religious freedom is being violated by these ordinances and that they are unconstitutional. The case is ongoing, please pray for the Christian community of Chhattisgarh.   

9/10/2014 India (Times of India) – Chhattisgarh high court has issued notices to state government seeking reply within three weeks on a writ petition challenging the constitutionality of resolutions adopted by certain village councils, known as gram sabhas, banning entry of non-Hindu religious leaders in their respective villages in tribal Bastar region.

The single bench of Justice M M Shrivastava sought reply on Monday from the government on the petition filed by Chhattisgarh Christian Forum president Arun Pannalal and others. The petition sought quashing of the resolutions adopted by Gram Sabhas of certain villages in tribal Bastar district and disciplinary action against district administration officials and local police station officials for their alleged dereliction of duty for not taking timely action.

Christian organizations have moved the high court after village councils of a number of villages in tribal Bastar region adopted resolutions under section 129 (G) of Chhattisgarh Panchayati Raj Act 1994, banning entry of non-Hindu religious missionaries in their respective villages.

Petitioner’s counsel Nathulal Soni contended that the ban was a blatant violation of fundamental rights as per the constitution and provisions of Panchayat Act cannot have an overriding effect on them.

The petition sought legal action against all officials concerned for dereliction of their duties for allegedly not acting in accordance with law despite complaints that Christians in the village were being harassed.

The issue had cropped up in May this year after few gram sabhas of certain gram panchayats adopted a resolution under section 129 (G) of Chhattisgarh Panchayati Raj Act 1994 banning all non-Hindu religious propaganda, prayers and speeches in the villages.’ The Sirisguda gram panchayat in the Tokapal block of Bastar had passed the resolution at a special Gram Sabha organized on May 10.

The copy of the resolution stated , “To stop the forced conversion by some outsider religious campaigners and to prevent them from using derogatory language against Hindu deities and customs, the Sirisguda Gram Sabha bans religious activities such as prayers, meetings and propaganda of all non-Hindu religions.”

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