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ReligionIndia

India: Hindu nationalists force religious conversions

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Adil Bhat | Richard Kujur
August 11, 2025

DW traveled to India's Bastar region of Chhattisgarh state and witnessed efforts by right-wing nationalist Hindus to push Christians to convert to Hinduism.

In rural India, Hindu nationalist groups are pressuring Christian converts — many from the marginalized Adivasi community — to return to Hinduism.

DW follows BJP local leader Raja Ram Todem as he confronts a Christian who converted after receiving medical help from missionaries. The man is then subjected to a forced "reconversion" ceremony, part of a broader campaign targeting religious minorities.

The crackdown includes denying burial rights to Christians, as seen in the case of another man, whose father was buried far from his ancestral land. Local pastors warn that rising sectarian tensions are eroding religious freedom and fueling fear among Christian communities.

Adil Bhat India correspondent with a special focus on politics, conflict and human-interest stories.
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