The Christian community in Chhattisgarh is in fear after several Hindu leaders reportedly invoked the Hindus to take up arms with a call for mass violence, including murder and rape, against the Christian community on March 1, particularly a social media influencer named Aadesh Soni has urged the Hindus to mobilise, accusing the Christians of conversions and cow slaughter, The Siasat Daily reported.
The mobilisation for this call has been driven by right-wing groups across villages in Chhattisgarh, including Bishrampur, Janakpur, and Ganeshpur, and by social media influencer Aadesh Soni, who has used various online platforms to incite communal hostility, spreading accusations of Christian conversions and cow slaughter to justify aggressive action.
Soni has actively posted inflammatory content, portraying Christians as a threat while urging Hindus to retaliate with mass killings and forceful actions against women in the community. His posts have outlined plans for a large-scale attack, and he has used speeches at public events to reinforce his stance, with the presence and approval of influential figures from the Hindutva movement further escalating tensions.
During a recent gathering, a senior religious figure endorsed the rhetoric, advocating for the training of Hindu youth in armed combat to defend their religious identity, while the audience reacted with enthusiasm, heightening concerns of imminent violence.
The Chhattisgarh Christian Forum has flagged Soni’s online content and sought immediate government intervention to prevent potential bloodshed, yet state authorities have responded by filing a police complaint against one of the Christian leaders Arun Pannalal instead, accusing him of instigating communal unrest. This has raised fears that the administration may be downplaying the threats and shifting focus away from the incitement.
The Nagaland Baptist Church Council has also expressed deep concern over the escalating situation, urging the Chhattisgarh chief minister to take immediate legal measures to ensure the safety of the Christian community before the planned mobilisation on March 1. The organisation has criticised the hate speech for targeting both women and children, describing it as a grave threat to peace and social harmony. Calls for action have also come from Christian social reformers, who have appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the alarming increase in anti-Christian violence, citing past incidents linked to similar extremist groups.
Reports indicate that violence against Christians in India has reached critical levels, with the United Christian Forum recording 673 incidents by the end of October 2024. The latest data highlights the growing activities of far-right Hindu organisations, which have been implicated in aggressive raids and violent attacks against Christian community members.
Uttar Pradesh has recorded the highest number of hate crimes, followed by Chhattisgarh, where a significant rise in incidents has been observed. Other states witnessing increasing hostility include Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Delhi, and Haryana, with Christian groups fearing further escalation if proactive measures are not taken to curb communal violence.