Hindu tribal family converted to Christianty with promises of resolving health issues and disputes, in Jharkhand

Case ID : a0490f4 | Location : Garhwa, Jharkhand, India | Date of Incident : Wed, 27 October, 2004

Case ID : a0490f4

Garhwa, Jharkhand, India

27 October, 2004

Hindu tribal family converted to Christianty with promises of resolving health issues and disputes, in Jharkhand

Predatory Proselytisation

Conversion/ attempts to convert by inducement

Case Summary

Bateshwar Munda and his entire family, tribals from Garhwa district of Jharkhand, converted to Christianity in 2004. Bateshwar believed that his family was plagued by illness and conflict, and he was told that converting to Christianity would bring peace and well-being to his household. After Bateshwar’s death, his son, Gajendra Munda, reverted the family to Hinduism after abandoning Christianity. The head of the family (Gajendra) stated that, now, with doubts cleared, the family has returned to Hinduism. A Satyanarayan Katha (a Hindu religious ceremony) was organised at their home, and all eight members of the family embraced their ancestral religion with full rituals and ceremonies. The Agniveer organisation assisted them in their process of reversion.

Why it is Hate Crime ?

The case has been added to the tracker under the prime category- Predatory proselytisation. The sub-category selected 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. This case has been added to the tracker because a Hindu tribal family in Alnar village were lured and offered inducements for conversion to Christianity. The family was promised health benefits and resolution of disputes in if they left Hinduism and accepted Christian faith. Firstly, offering such inducements or making false promises, especially when directed at vulnerable and economically weaker individuals, is not an act of kindness or charity. It is a calculated effort to exploit their vulnerability because of their religious identity. By providing inducements in exchange for conversion, the accused was effectively blackmailing those who might have been desperate for assistance or hope. Such instances are seen in many cases where members of Christian missionary groups target socially and economically vulnerable Hindus to further their agenda of religious conversions. This form of coercion strips people of their agency and dignity and results in coerced conversions. The Christian faith, by its very theological foundations, places a strong emphasis on proselytisation. In pursuit of conversion objectives, Christian evangelists often employ unethical means, ranging from psychological pressure and misinformation to inducements such as money or jobs. These are not random or isolated incidents, but premeditated efforts to undermine the Hindu faith, persuade Hindus to discard their own faith, and convert to Christianity. Such acts were deeply rooted in religious animosity towards Hindu victims, and thus, this case was added to the tracker. Disclaimer: The Hinduphobia Tracker records incidents based on when an event occurred or when the victim's ordeal began, rather than when it was reported by the media. It is important to clarify that none of the media sources covering this case has specified the exact date when the conversion activities began, only mentioning that the family converted in 2004. Therefore, for documentation purposes, we have recorded the year as mentioned in the reports and selected the date and month of reporting.