An escalating movement
The death message is not Parmatmanand’s ideology alone. He is a prominent leader of the Hindutva movement (made up of several Hindu nationalist groups), which promotes an India based on Hindu values where there is no room for religious minorities. These groups see religious conversion as a threat, and distribute misinformation about religious minorities, including Christians.
And the recent rally isn’t the only one calling for mass violence. Almost daily, our local partners in India bring us reports about the rapidly escalating anti-Christian movement across parts of India. Frenzied demonstrations have already led to beatings and arrests of Christians.
“The way they spread the message of hatred through these rallies and protests is unbelievable,” a local Christian told Open Doors. “They are shouting slogans like, ‘Beat these Christians with shoes,’ ‘Stop conversion to Christianity,’ ‘Save your country’ and ‘Save your Religion.’ The BJP has shifted its focus back to the issue of “forced conversions,” and as a result, there has been a marked intensification against conversions. “Christians are living in fear and under constant pressure from their communities.”
A recent report, “Destructive Lies,” by the London School of Economics and commissioned by Open Doors, notes that disinformation against religious minorities in India “thrives unchecked,” causing minorities to experience “imminent existential threat.”
“Daily life for many Christian and Muslim communities in urban and rural India has become an excruciating struggle to earn a living and practice their faith while also remaining alive and under the radar of the far-right Hindutva organizations that now dominate the Indian public and political sphere,” researchers wrote.
Through the summer and into the fall of 2021, demonstrations in states like Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh have targeted Christians, churches and pastors. Some of the most recent incidents include:
October 3: More than 10 Christians at a prayer gathering were arrested 3 in Uttarakhand state. Just before the meeting started, a mob of almost 300 people descended on the church in Roorkee, destroying properties and beating up church members.
October 10: a group of more than 50 Christians were arrested in Uttar Pradesh, northern India, for allegedly breaking the state’s anti-conversion law. The police kept seven of them in custody, among them three women who were released on bail three days later.
October 19: a pastor was taken to a police station for questioning after a group of Hindu nationalists forced their way into his church in southern Karnataka state, accusing the pastor and other Christians there of forcibly converting people.
As terrifying as these reports are, we also hear reports of Christians standing boldly in the midst of these kinds of attacks. In one demonstration, an irate group of fundamentalist Hindus shamed young Christian women converts and tried to intimidate them into burning Christian literature. Some gave in, fearing for their lives. Others, like one young girl, boldly stood and refused.
“I will not take any other god except my living God,” she said to those forcing her to repeat Hindu slogans. “If you want to kill me, kill me. Instead of tomorrow, I will die today.” The fanatics said she must have been lured into Christianity with money, but she denied this, as well.
