Tribal women forced to convert by Christian missionary, unfollow Hindu practices
Umaria District, Madhya Pradesh, India 
1 February, 2025
Case Summary
A major conversion attempt was uncovered in Umaria district, where a meeting of a cooks' union, held every Sunday, raised concerns among Hindu activists. The meeting took place at a house behind the Civil Line Chowki near the district headquarters. Activists stated that the gathering was being used as a front for religious conversion targeting tribal women. After receiving complaints, the police issued a strict warning to the house owner, stating that any recurrence of such activities would lead to legal action. Hindu organization members visited the location and found a gathering in progress. Upon questioning a woman present at the meeting, they were informed that attendees were being instructed not to celebrate Hindu festivals, keep fasts like Karva Chauth, or observe any religious customs. The speakers at the meeting, who were reportedly from outside the district, advocated for the idea that all communities should merge into one. This raised strong suspicions about the true intent of the meeting. Further investigation revealed that each participating woman had been asked to contribute ₹3,000 to the organisation, and an additional ₹1,000 to ₹1,200 for sarees, which were being distributed as a form of uniform. A sack filled with sarees was found at the location, despite no official dress code for cooks being implemented by the state government. This raised concerns that the meeting was being used as a tool for systematic religious conversion. Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists, including Sandeep Wadhwa and Pawan Tripathi, opposed the meeting and expressed their concerns. Although no formal written complaint was filed, the Civil Line Police Station took note of the issue. Station in-charge Brij Kishore Garg summoned the meeting’s convener, Mamta Pal, along with the landlord, for questioning. They were warned that future gatherings must be reported to the police in advance.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This particular case has been classified as a religiously motivated hate crime under the core category of Predatory Proselytisation because of the various distinct components that demonstrate the perpetrator's bias against the Hindu faith and the deliberate attempt to alienate the victims from their Hindu identity. Further, based on case details, the first sub-category selected here is- Conversion/ attempts to convert by inducement. Predatory Proselytisation is not just limited to threat, harassment, force and violence, but it also has contours of stealth. In several cases, the Hindu victim is exploited to convert, with non-Hindus taking advantage of their poverty. In such cases, the Hindu victim who is suffering financially is offered monetary benefits, including lucrative offers for jobs, health treatment, education, etc, to induce the victim into changing his/her religion. In such cases, the religious identity of the victim and the aim to disenfranchise him from his faith form the heart of the crime. Also, taking advantage of and exploiting an individual’s economic vulnerabilities is widely acknowledged as exploitation, forms of which are often penalised by law. Such cases therefore are considered religiously motivated hate crimes since the victim’s religious identity forms the very heart of the crime itself. The second sub-category which has been selected here is- Attempting to convert/converting by denigrating Hinduism. In several cases, Hindus are converted or an attempt is made to convert Hindus by denigrating their faith, Hinduism. In such cases, the Hindus associate with the non-Hindu perpetrators often by choice and then, the attempt to convert them by insulting their faith, showing the faith down etc begins. An example of this would be a non-Hindu gathering where the Hindus are attending the gathering of their own free will. However, once they attend the gathering, there is an explicit attempt to convert them by abusing their faith and hailing the faith of the perpetrator. The denigration of the Hindu faith is often based on misrepresentation of the Hindu faith, its doctrine and scriptures and insult to espoused traditions if not blatant lies about Hindu beliefs and ways. Such conversions or attempts at conversions are driven by animosity towards the Hindu faith and are therefore documented as religiously motivated hate crimes. Here, the Hindu women were offered sarees, which suggests that material benefits were being used as a tool to facilitate conversion. The payment for sarees and contributions towards the organisation signifies an inducement strategy, where economic or material incentives are provided to lure individuals away from their original faith. Further, the women were coerced to abandon Hindu religious practices, such as the observance of festivals like Karva Chauth, which is a direct attack on Hinduism. By denigrating Hindu customs, the organisers sought to diminish the significance of Hindu identity and its religious practices. This form of religious conversion by belittling Hinduism and its traditions is a clear attempt to undermine the cultural and spiritual fabric of the community. The Christian evangelists were basically attempting to exploit a specific vulnerability of the victims who were in all likelihood also economically backward and since exploiting vulnerabilities for the explicit purpose of conversion is purely based on animosity towards the victim's faith, this case has been categorised as a religiously motivated hate crime.
Case Status
Complaint not filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Christian Extremists
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
both
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