Tension arose in Jali village, located in the Champua block of Keonjhar district on the Odisha-Jharkhand border, during Sri Ram Navami when Christian preachers made inflammatory remarks against Hinduism and attempted to convert the local tribal population to Christianity. The situation escalated, prompting local villagers to protest against the missionaries. In response, police detained seven individuals and seized equipment used for the religious propaganda.
On the day of Sri Ram Navami, a significant Hindu festival, a group of Christian preachers set up a camp in Jali village. Using loudspeakers and microphones, they aimed to spread their message. The missionaries, reportedly outsiders, conducted a programme focused on converting the local tribal community. During this event, they made derogatory comments about Hinduism, which incited anger among the local villagers.
Offended by the remarks, the villagers immediately informed local Hindu organisations. Activists from these organisations arrived quickly to support the villagers in alerting the police. Upon their arrival, police detained seven individuals, while two others managed to escape. Additionally, the authorities seized the vehicles, auto-rickshaws, and loudspeakers employed to propagate the religious message.
Residents of Jali village reported that the missionaries were attempting to convert the innocent and gullible tribal people by offering various incentives. They claimed that Hinduism was inferior and that converting to Christianity would cure their ailments and enhance their lives. Material benefits were also offered to encourage conversions.
The villagers filed a formal complaint, identifying several individuals involved in the attempted conversions. Among those named were Rajeev Lochan Behera and his wife Babita Behera from Jali village; Hemlata Munda and Sushma Munda from Tangarpada village; Jayasingh Sinku and his wife Jema Sinku from Teli Tangarpada village in the Patna police jurisdiction; Madhu Chatar from Sarang Gada village in Mayurbhanj district’s Karanjia police jurisdiction; Mangala Gagarai from Raja Basa village in Raruan police jurisdiction; and Binati Behera from Maidanakel village within Keonjhar’s Raesuan police jurisdiction. The complaint accused them of attempting illegal conversions and conspiring to create disharmony in the region.
The complaint further emphasised that during an assembly in Jali village, derogatory remarks were made about Hinduism, with speakers promoting Christianity as a superior faith. Allegedly, the missionaries used loudspeakers without the necessary permissions from the authorities, broadcasting criticisms of Hinduism at high volumes while encouraging people to convert to Christianity.
This situation has raised concerns among the local population regarding the increasing influence of foreign missionaries in the region’s tribal areas, which are predominantly inhabited by vulnerable and indigenous communities. The complaint claims that these missionaries have employed deceptive methods to incite religious tension and boost conversions, potentially leading to social unrest and communal violence.
Furthermore, the complaint highlighted that many individuals involved in this conversion campaign had themselves previously converted to Christianity. Authorities have been urged to take swift action against these individuals and expose the forces behind these activities to prevent further escalation of religious tensions.
The incident in Jali village is not an isolated occurrence in the region. A similar event took place a few days earlier in the Sunapshi Panchayat, where Christian missionaries attempted to convert tribal people by offering them medical treatment and other incentives. The missionaries left the area in the face of local opposition, and no significant action was taken by the police in that instance.
Tanmay Dash, the Odisha State Organizing Secretary of Hindu Jagran Manch, spoke to Organiser and expressed concern over the increasing activities of Christian missionaries in tribal-dominated areas of the state. He claimed that missionaries have been exploiting the vulnerability of tribal people, offering them material benefits such as medical assistance and promises of a better life in exchange for religious conversion. Dash further stated that such illegal activities are creating division and hostility in society, and they are attempting to disrupt the peace of these communities.
“Hindu Jagran Manch demands that the administration take strict action against such elements involved in religious conversion activities. Otherwise, we will be forced to launch a movement against these illegal conversions and the forces behind them,” Dash added.
