Hindu students being brainwashed for conversion to Christianity by making derogatory remarks on Hindu deities
Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India 
23 February, 2025
Case Summary
In Thanjavur’s Peravurani, Hindu activists and local villagers apprehended 27 Christian missionaries who were accused of spreading religious propaganda and denigrating Hinduism among students and the public near the Peravurani Government School. The individuals were later handed over to the police for further action. It was reported that around 40 individuals from Nagercoil in Kanyakumari district, along with people from Thuravikkadu, Madukkur, and Karur in Thanjavur district, were actively distributing religious pamphlets in the surrounding areas of Thiruchitrambalam, Madathikadu, and Kalathur. The group had earlier faced resistance in Madathikadu, where their activities caused disruptions. Later that evening, they gathered outside the Government High School in Kalathur, handing out pamphlets to students as they left school. During this time, they allegedly made derogatory remarks about Hindu deities and attempted to influence students toward conversion. Upon learning of the incident, local villagers, students' parents, and BJP members confronted the group. 13 missionaries managed to flee, claiming they would file a police complaint against the villagers. Shortly after, 27 individuals were detained and handed over to the Thiruchitrambalam police for further investigation.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the prime category of- Predatory Proselytisation. Under this, the first sub-category selected 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. The second sub-category selected is- Proselytisation by grooming, brainwashing, manipulation or subtle indoctrination and within this, the tertiary category chosen is- Conversion of minor. Religious brainwashing essentially means the often subtle and forcible indoctrination to induce someone to give up their religious beliefs to accept contrasting regimented ideas. Religious grooming or brainwashing also involves propaganda and manipulation. It involves the systematic effort, driven by religious malice and indoctrination, to persuade “non-believers’ to accept allegiance, command, or doctrine to and of a contrasting faith. Cases of such grooming or brainwashing are far more nuanced than direct threats, coercion, inducement and violence. In such cases, it is often seen that there is repeated, subtle and continual manipulation of the victim to induce disaffection towards their own faith and acceptance of the contrasting faith of the perpetrator. While subtle indoctrination is widely acknowledged as predatory, an element which is often understated in such conversions or the attempts of such conversion is the role of loyalty and trust which might develop between the perpetrator and the victim. Fiduciary relationships are often abused to affect such religious conversion. For example, an educator transmitting religious doctrine of a competing faith to a Hindu student. The Hindu student is likely to accept what the teacher is transmitting owing to existence of the fiduciary relationship. The exploitation of the fiduciary relationship to religiously indoctrinate victims would also be included in this category. Since the underlying animosity towards the victim’s faith forms the basis of predatory proselytization, such cases are considered religiously motivated hate crimes. In this particular case, the Christian evangelists were overtly trying to convert Hindus by abusing and disparaging Hinduism while glorifying their own faith, Christianity. In an effort to indoctrinate Hindus against their religion—which itself is a product of hostility towards the Hindu faith—they were making derogatory remarks about Hindu deities. Further, the Christian missionaries stationed themselves near a government school. The missionaries strategically chose a location where young minds could be easily influenced, providing them with religious pamphlets while simultaneously insulting Hindu deities. This method is not an open invitation to religious discourse but rather a calculated attempt to erode Hindu belief systems and instil a sense of inferiority among Hindu students about their own faith. Since the victims were minors, there was an absence of both consent and a genuine change of conscience. It is a well-established fact that children are more susceptible to manipulation since they are still developing emotionally, cognitively, and socially. Their brains are not fully matured, making them more vulnerable to influence and less capable of critically evaluating information. Moreover, subtle manipulation tactics can be difficult to detect, making it challenging for parents, to identify and address instances of religious manipulation. Consequently, cases involving religious manipulation of minors not only represent an infringement on an individual's religious freedom but also demonstrate a calculated strategy of targeting those who are less able to resist or understand the long-term implications of conversion, making it a significant case of religious-motivated hate crime.
Case Status
Case sub-judice
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Christian Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 10 to 100
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
