Tensions flared in the tribal-dominated village of Hirapur in Chhattisgarh’s Balod district after villagers and members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) refused to allow the cremation of a deceased man from a family that had earlier converted to Christianity. The family was denied access to the village Hindu cremation ground (Muktidham), leading to a social and religious standoff that ended only after the family publicly reconverted to Hinduism in a traditional “Ghar Wapsi” ceremony.
“No funeral until you return”
The incident occurred after the death of a man, named Jagmohan from the Sahu family, an OBC family that had converted to Christianity several years ago. When the family approached the village cremation site for his last rites, the entire community, led by local villagers and VHP functionaries, objected, citing that the Muktidham was only for followers of the Sanatan Hindu Dharma.
“No one stepped forward to carry the arthi (bier), and the villagers firmly declared that the funeral could only take place if the family renounced Christianity and returned to Hinduism,” said Murli Sahu, VHP’s rural district president in Balod.
Village panchayat steps in, Ghar Wapsi ensues
In an extraordinary village assembly convened amid mounting tension, members of the Sahu family attended the meeting and formally acknowledged their “mistake” of leaving Hinduism. The family expressed a wish to rejoin the Hindu community and agreed to abide by its customs and religious practices. A written declaration was presented in which the family vowed to live by Sanatan Dharma’s traditions and to establish Hindu deities in their home.
Following this, five members of the deceased’s family, Monas Bai Sahu (wife of deceased Jagmohan Sahu), Daneshwari Sahu, Devika Sahu, Kavita Sahu, and Durgeshwari Sahu, visited the village Shiv Mandir, where they performed puja, renounced the Bible by immersing it in a nearby river, and drank Ganga Jal as a symbolic return to the Hindu fold.
VHP declares district-wide Ghar Wapsi campaign
Speaking to the media, VHP District President Balram Gupta said, “This is not an isolated incident. Christian missionaries have been aggressively targeting tribal and Dalit communities in the district, especially those facing economic hardship. The statement by Monas Bai clearly shows that emotional exploitation and misinformation are at the core of these conversions.”
He further added, “Such people are abandoned in times of crisis. Hindu society must welcome them back, and we at VHP and Bajrang Dal will intensify our Ghar Wapsi campaign across the district.”
Crackdown on illegal prayer meetings
The incident also comes amid a wider campaign by organisations and police authorities against unauthorised Christian prayer gatherings. In recent months, the VHP has flagged several villages across blocks such as Gundardehi, Dondi, Dondilohara, Gurur, and Arjunda, leading to multiple arrests and the suspension of illegal prayer meetings.
“Missionaries have taken advantage of rural illiteracy and poverty. We have already ensured police intervention in several blocks and villages,” said Umesh Sen, a VHP functionary present during the Hirapur standoff.
Other notable attendees at the village meeting included Setram Sahu (Patel of the village), Parmanand Sahu, Satanand Sahu, Laxman Sahu, Prabhuram, and Kuber.
Similar past cases in Chhattisgarh
Bemetara District (2023)
In 2023, a tribal family in Bemetara who had converted to Christianity was denied entry to a village temple during a religious procession. Following outrage and a VHP intervention, the family publicly returned to Hinduism. Like in Hirapur, they immersed religious Christian symbols in the river and vowed to follow Hindu rituals.
Kondagaon and Narayanpur, Bastar Region (2022–2023)
Chhattisgarh’s Bastar division, especially Kondagaon and Narayanpur, has witnessed numerous violent clashes over conversions. Several tribal families converted to Christianity under the influence of missionary-run NGOs.
However, after the death of elderly members in these families, villagers refused to perform joint funerals, and in many cases boycotted social interaction with the converted families. In several instances, homecoming ceremonies were held with the participation of tribal priests, and the families reaffirmed their commitment to their ancestral practices.
Political implications and legal angle
Religious conversions in Chhattisgarh, especially among tribal and Scheduled Caste populations, have long been a politically sensitive subject. The state government has hinted at a potential stringent anti-conversion law, as reports from Bastar and northern districts have shown a spike in missionary activity.
According to estimates, thousands of tribal families have left Hinduism over the past decade, sparking repeated demands by organisations like the VHP and RSS for stricter legal measures. While Chhattisgarh already has a “Freedom of Religion Act”, enforcement remains a challenge in interior tribal belts.
The Hirapur incident is emblematic of the growing social pushback against religious conversions in rural Chhattisgarh.
VHP leaders have stated their intention to carry out door-to-door campaigns in nearby villages, aiming to identify and “welcome back” families who have “inadvertently” left Hindu Dharma due to coercion or lure.
