{India} West Bengal Christians tighten safeguards amid attacks, conversion row

Church bodies introduce written applications and affidavits for converts as attacks on prayer meetings and funerals raise fears of intimidation and calls for an anti-conversion law

Christian organizations in west bengal are tightening safeguards, with a written application and affidavit set to become mandatory for those seeking to embrace Christianity.

The measures are part of a slew of protective steps adopted by Christian bodies to counter what they call an "ill-motivated narrative" against the community that has allegedly fueled several attacks on prayer services and even the removal of a woman's body from a grave after it had been lowered. The incidents have been reported since the BJP came to power in the state four months ago.

The conversion narrative has also put foreign visitors under scrutiny, after two Argentine nationals and a Spanish national visiting the Sunderbans were caught up in a confrontation with local residents who accused them of trying to convert Hindus.

The group stormed the home of one Ratna Mondal in Hingalganj, and allegedly disrupted a prayer meeting attended by the foreign nationals last Sunday. Mondal in her statement to the police said the foreign nationals were Jadavpur University students studying Bengali, had valid identification documents and frequently visited her home at her invitation.

Sushovan Das, a Hindu Jagran Manch leader alleged that foreign nationals had been frequently visiting Mondal's house to secretly carry out religious conversions. He threatened to mobilize a bigger protest of "forced conversions" are not stopped in the area.

Lawyer Surjit Gharami and his pregnant wife, Beethika also faced a similar situation a week ago. Surjit said more than 100 people gathered outside their home and objected to a Christian prayer meeting held there on August 23. The family is Hindu, but Surjit's ailing mother had recently begun praying at home according to Christian practices, prompting objections from one or two local residents.

On Sunday afternoon, when prayers were held again, a large group allegedly arrived and confronted the family. Surjit and his wife were allegedly assaulted in the ensuing confrontation.

Such attacks are not limited to house-prayer services, as churches, pastors, and even funerals have also come under attack.

In Sandeshkhali, a group allegedly entered a church on July 30 and confronted Pastor Santosh Tudu, pressuring him to renounce Christianity and threatening to drive him out of the area if he refused.

In Membari, 20 to 25 people allegedly forced their way into the home of Pastor Joy Suradhar on August 18, assaulted him and ordered his family to leave the area.

at Sahanagar, a funeral at St Claret Church was disrupted on August 14 after a group allegedly stopped the burial and took out a woman's body after it had been lowered into the grave. The family later buried her at another cemetery in Bardhaman town.

In Nazar, a group allegedly confronted the priest of St Claret Catholic Church and gave him 7 days to leave the area, warning of unspecified consequences if he refused.

Police sources said FIRs have already been filed at 12 such cases across the state, indicating that the incidents are not isolated.

"There are at least 25 cases that have been brought to our notice, though FIRs have been lodged in only 12. Several incidents go unreported due to fear" said the spokesperson of the Bangiya Christian Pariseba.

The West Bengal Minority affairs minister Kshudiram Tudu, however, said he was not aware of any such attack on the Christian communities. "No such incident has been brought to my notice, even by members of the Christian community. But if such incidents are taking place, I will certainly ask the appropriate authorities to investigate, because our government respects every individual's right to practice their faith without interference".

He, however said protests against forced conversions were bound to happen, but stressed that any such complaints should be reported to the administration for legal action rather than being met with violence.

He further said the state government would soon enact an anti-conversion law to prevent religious change through coercion or inducement and put an end to disputes over such practices.

These anti-Christians attack all branches of Christianity - they see no difference between Catholic or Evangelical or Pentecostal or other.

Note the false narrative that the Hindu authorities are using = He, however said protests against forced conversions were bound to happen. He further said the state government would soon enact an anti-conversion law to prevent religious change through coercion or inducement and put an end to disputes over such practices.

The Hindu extremist view is at https://www.opindia.com/2026/09/west-bengal-locals-pushback-against-christian-conversion-activities/

where they say “Locals finally push back as conversion cases rise

Taken together, the recent incidents in Hingalganj, Hasnabad, Sonamukhi and Jalpaiguri show how locals are increasingly speaking out against attempts to convert people in their communities. Instead of remaining silent, locals have begun questioning religious activities taking place in their neighbourhoods, confronting those involved and demanding answers about what is being taught or offered to residents. In some cases, these objections have led to heated confrontations and the disruption of religious gatherings held in the name of healing and education.

For the locals raising these objections, the issue is not simply about religion but about the illegal conversion which is happening within their own communities. They say they do not want economically weaker families or children to be approached with religious teachings, money or other inducements in the name of education, charity or prayer. “

These anti-Christians attack all branches of Christianity - they see no difference between Catholic or Evangelical or Pentecostal or other.

Which is strange when you consider that, if "the Devil" is really behind this, he would concentrate primarily on the one true version rather than all of them. Is chrstianity so confusing that even "the Devil" can't tell which one is the real McCoy?

Unfortunately, the bureaucracy that runs the Catholic Church at this time advocates only alliances with the ancient ethnic churches and radical Protestant churches with lesbian "bishops." Being associated with people who believe Adam and Eve were real, historical figures would be so embarrassing!

I forgot to point out that, in cultures where chrstianity is considered “foreign” (as in India but also in the Arab Middle East) chrstians may adopt “Marxism-Leninism” in the name of identitarian liberation (like moslems do in the West). In northeastern India there is an actual chrstian MAOIST insurrection that has been going on for a long time. One of its mottoes is “Nagaland for “Chr*st.”

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