At least three Christian families have converted back to a tribal religion in Jharkhand state, eastern India, after Hindu extremists destroyed their homes and threatened to take over their land and resources. Morning Star News reported that five families in Lisiya village, West Singhbhum district, returned home from a worship service in October to find that one of the homes had been destroyed by tribal movement Adivasi Ho Samaj.
Threatened with losing their lands and being expelled from the village, three of the Christian families decided to go back to their tribal religion of Sarnaism. Anonymous source told MNN: “The situation in Jharkhand is turning worse since the Ho Samaj joined hands with the RSS [Hindu extremist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh], holding meetings to instigate the tribal population against their own brethren for choosing to follow Christ.”
Christian communities in the area continue to suffer other forms of persecution as well, such as worship services being interrupted and church buildings being taken over and converted for other purposes. Hindu hardliners have often accused them of forcefully converting villagers to the Christian faith, though church leaders have denied that conversions are being forced.
Source: christianpost
