ICC Note: Hindu nationalists in India’s Odisha state continue to drive a wedge between Christians and local tribal communities. In February, 27 Christians in Kendupada village were attacked by their tribal neighbors after violence was incited against them by Hindu nationalists. Across India, attacks on Christians and their places of worship are skyrocketing. Much of the violence is perpetrated or incited by radical Hindu nationalists.

03/29/2018 India (Morning Star News) – About 20 villagers questioned Christians gathered for worship in a home in Odisha state, India were animists who worshipped objects in nature and other gods, but Hindu nationalists had led them there.

“Why have you left your ancestral faith and begun following the Christian faith?” a few of them asked, in succession, accusing them of trying to convert everyone in Kendupada village, Dhenkanal District. “If everyone in the village becomes Christian, where would the village gods go?”

In an increasingly common phenomenon, Hindu nationalists trying to drive a wedge between tribal peoples and Christians had persuaded the villagers that those who had left their beliefs, sacrifices and other rituals had betrayed their ancestors, gods, and the country of India. The Hindu nationalists then obtain tribal support for political candidates and policies and introduce Hindu beliefs and practices into animist religious systems, analysts say.

“They were told that no Christian would be allowed to stay in the village and strictly instructed them not to share the gospel with anybody,” said Sukanta Naik, a volunteer for the Evangelical Fellowship of India, who visited the 27 Christians after the mob attacked them that day (Feb. 20).

The villagers issued threats to the five families of the house church, pressuring them to return to their ancestral beliefs, and when the Christians refused to do so, the tribal animists and Hindu nationalists began to beat them, Naik said.

“They grabbed three women – Raibari, Sabita and Malati – and paraded them around the village while beating them severely,” he told Morning Star News.

The women sustained serious internal injuries, and Raibari, 54, injured her left eye, while the 26-year-old Sabita’s right hand was hurt. In all, seven Christians were reported to have sustained serious injuries as a result of the attack.

The five families, the only Christians in a village of 206 families, had all previously practiced native tribal religions, with four of them converting in the past two years and one family eight years ago.

Rango Kuldi, 52, the first in the village to become a follower of Christ, was beaten ruthlessly and still complains of pain, Naik said. His son, Guru Kuldi, an 18-year-old high school student, received stitches from a deep cut on his head. Rango Kuldi’s wife, Dusama, suffered internal injuries.

Pandu Tirai, 62, was beaten badly on his right ear, which bled relentlessly, sources said. He has lost his hearing in the ear. When Naik visited him nearly a month after the attack, his ear was still bleeding.

“The doctor has advised a scan,” Naik said.

Raju Chatar, 40, sustained an injury on his left leg and continues to have swelling. Uchhaba Taison, 32, the husband of Malati, sustained several blows on his back and internal injuries, besides visible external wounds.

Some of the injured were admitted at the hospital at Kamakhya Nagar, nearly 35 kilometers (21 miles) from their village, while others were treated at a local clinic.

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