Street evangelists targeting workers attending VB-G RAM G works have triggered strong reactions among Hindus, with concerns being raised over vulnerable and poor rural workers being exposed to religious activities during their participation in the rural employment programme.
The street evangelism reportedly used the MGNREGA, renamed as the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), commonly known as VB-G RAM G. In an undated viral video, white-saree-clad women can be seen dancing, reciting Christian prayers and blessing poor women during working hours.
100 நாள் வேலைக்கு செல்லும் பெண்களைப் குறி வைத்து மதமாற்றும் கும்பல்#100DaysWork | #VillageNews | #TamilNews | pic.twitter.com/KTzilmYRJp
— INDTAMIL (@INDTAMIL24x7) October 1, 2026
The video shows women workers being approached during or around their participation in the rural employment programme. The authenticity, location and circumstances surrounding the video could not be ascertained. However, the women appear to be speaking Tamil, suggesting that it could be from Tamil Nadu.
Hindu Munnani, in a post on X, questioned: “Is it a 100 days job scheme or conversion cum Christian propaganda assembly? Reports have been pouring claiming 100 days job guarantee scheme has been misused as a platform for religious conversion. Such proselytisation activities shake and destroy the very intent of the scheme. It was designed to help the livelihood of rural folks and provide sustained economic assistance. But now it has been used to convert the poor, mostly elderly, exploiting their family issues, health and economic conditions.”
100 நாள் வேலை திட்டமா? மதமாற்ற பிரச்சார கூட்டமா??
மதப் பிரச்சார வாசகங்கள் 100 நாள் வேலைத் திட்டப் பணியிடத்தில் பயன்படுத்தப்பட்டதாகக் கூறப்படும் தகவல் தற்போது கவனம் பெற்றுள்ளது.
100 நாள் வேலைத் திட்டம் என்பது பொதுமக்களின் வாழ்வாதாரத்திற்காக செயல்படுத்தப்படும் அரசு திட்டம்.… pic.twitter.com/ZyYBIczp9p
— Hindu Munnani (@hindumunnani_tn) October 1, 2026
In Tamil Nadu, under the scheme, as per official data, over 10 lakh workers have been enrolled and are active. It has a substantial presence in the state. Hindu Munnani leaders said that, despite their resistance, there have been regular door-to-door distribution of Christian literature and Bibles, along with talks aimed at addressing people’s grievances.
They reportedly come in groups in a van and spread out in small numbers to cover the entire village. According to the claims, after the TVK came to power, such activities have gained momentum. Now, they allegedly use the 100-day job guarantee scheme for conversion and religious propaganda purposes.
CM Joseph Vijay has been saying that his government would treat people of all religions equally. To demonstrate this, he had visited the Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple after the Kumbabhishekam and signed the register stating that he would respect and believe in Hindu traditions. However, such fringe, loose and fanatic elements engaging in such activities are bringing bad repute to the government and CM Vijay.
The Tamil Nadu BJP has urged the government to take action against people who convert workers under the 100-day rural employment guarantee scheme.
கிராமப்புறங்களில் 100 நாள் வேலைத்திட்டத்திற்கு செல்லும் எளிய பெண்களைக் குறிவைத்து மதமாற்றத்தில் ஈடுபடும் கும்பல் மீது @TVKPartyHQ அரசு உடனடியாக நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும்! pic.twitter.com/zfE3m8t5O7
— BJP Tamilnadu (@BJP4TamilNadu) September 30, 2026
Netizen Arun Pudur, in a post on X, said: “Earlier this month CM Joseph’s TN Govt allocated 10 Crore for every Church. See how fast the money started working. Hindus are being converted city to city, town to town, village to village, street to street and house to house. TN Hindus voted TVK to teach BJP a lesson.”
https://x.com/arunpudur/status/2105201246433062952?s=20
Another post on X claims that the TVK government distributed money to 100-day workers in Madhuranthagam, where an Assembly by-election is scheduled for October 6.
மதுராந்தகத்தில் 100 நாள் வேலை பார்க்கும் மக்களிடம் தவெகவினர் பணம் பட்டுவாடா பண்ணிய பொழுது ஊர்ப்பொதுமக்கள் வச்சு செஞ்சுவிட்டிருக்காங்க😂 pic.twitter.com/7WNBRGa6hd
— Kani Oviya – தமிழ்நாட்டை தலைகுனிய விடமாட்டேன் (@KaniOviya) September 26, 2026
Members of the public and opposition political leaders objected to the distribution of cash, saying it amounted to bribery. TVK, which promised clean governance, should not have indulged in such activities, they said.
While attending a prayer service in support of TVK candidate P. Sathyabama, TVK ministers Bussy Anand and Sengottaiyan surprised churchgoers by playing the piano and other musical instruments inside the church. The by-election was necessitated after Sathyabama, who won on an AIADMK ticket, joined TVK and resigned her MLA seat.
TVK ministers, including Bussy Anand and K. A. Sengottaiyan, attended a special prayer meeting and campaign at Ellis Church on Market Road in Dharapuram during their poll campaign last month. They followed the way Christians conduct prayers in a church.
தேவாலயத்தில் ஜெபம் செய்து வாக்குசேகரித்த தவெக அமைச்சர்கள்.#TVK #TVKPolitics #TVKMinisters #ElectionCampaign #Church #ChurchPrayer #PoliticalNews #TamilNews #தவெக #தவெகஅமைச்சர்கள் #வாக்குசேகரிப்பு #தேவாலயம் #ஜெபம்#5gtamilmozhi pic.twitter.com/FIEmbaRvd2
— 5G Tamil Mozhi (@5GTamilMozhi) September 27, 2026
Critics point out that Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar recited Biblical verses in the House besides participating in Christian-related events. His presence at an anti-abortion event also evoked strong criticism. He and VCK Minister Vanniarasu assured Christian bodies that they would try to secure reservation benefits for converted Dalit Christians. Finance Minister N Maire Wilson triggered a political controversy in August 2026 by stating in the Assembly that studying Tamil could not teach the values of love, peace and compassion in the way Christianity and the Bible could, identifying himself as a “born Christian”.
In another video, Muslim men can be seen performing a fire-walking ritual in Tamil Nadu. Muslims who believe Allah is the only God do not say namaste with folded hands and have objected to the recitation of Vande Mataram, either in part or in its latest full version. They also do not stand while the national anthem is being played.
உலமாக்களுக்கு ஒரு கேள்வி!
இந்துக்கள் தீமிதித்தால் அதை “மூடநம்பிக்கை” என்று கேலி செய்கிறீர்கள். ஆனால் இதோ, இஸ்லாமியர்களும் தீமிதிக்கும் காட்சி உள்ளது. அப்படியானால் இது எந்த நம்பிக்கையின் அடிப்படையில் வருகிறது?
ஒவ்வொரு மதத்திற்கும் அவரவர்களின் நம்பிக்கையும் சடங்குகளும்… pic.twitter.com/d8Q75ks8os
— KC THIRUMARAN JI (@kcthirumaran) September 28, 2026
Christians in Tamil Nadu have also been accused of copying several Hindu rituals, such as pada yatras, pulling rathams, hoisting flags, conducting festivals, wearing saffron clothes, carrying kavadi, taking sacred baths and carrying murtis in decorated vehicles, besides Jesus Suprabhatam and other Hindu hymns in the name of Jesus.
South India Forward Bloc party founder KC Thirumaran, in a post on X, asked: “When Hindus do the fire walking, you (Muslims) brand them as rank superstition. But now Muslims do the same, which comes under what principles? Every religion has its own beliefs and rituals. You should treat the other religions the way you respect your own religion. In Quran 6:18, Prophet Nabigal Nayagam says do not insult or sacrilege the worshipping of others. It stresses treating all respectfully. I am asking Ulemas, who mock Hindu traditions and rituals, will you follow what Quran says?”
