The changing situation in Chhattisgarh
The Chhattisgarh School Education Department has ordered all state schools to recite Hindu prayers and chants each day. The mandate covers 10 Vedic and regional mantras, including the Gayatri Mantra and Saraswati Vandana. Schools must recite them at three set times: morning assembly, the midday meal, and dismissal.
Chhattisgarh is governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a Hindu nationalist party that also leads the national government. State officials say the mandate builds discipline, moral values, and cultural awareness in students.
A pattern of pressure
This mandate follows a season of rising hostility toward Christians in Chhattisgarh. In April, a mob of more than 100 Hindu nationalists attacked a group of Christians who had gathered to bury a fellow believer. Seven were injured and hospitalized. Radical groups claimed the burial would defile the village. Reports show more than 35 similar incidents tied to Christian burials in the region over the past year.
Christian families have also faced attacks during worship, denial of housing and work, and pressure to renounce their faith or leave their villages. In one case, a pastor and his congregation were attacked mid-service on a Sunday and forced to flee. Despite this pressure, local churches in the region continue to grow.
The pressure has continued into August. Arun Pannalal, president of the Chhattisgarh Christian Forum, was arrested at his home in Raipur over a Facebook comment. He was sent to judicial custody after a complaint accused him of hurting religious sentiments.
Embedding ideology
Tribal groups and opposition leaders disagree to the new government mandate. The Sarva Adivasi Samaj, a major tribal organization, believe that this mandate is a Hindu extremist-driven attempt to erase Adivasi or tribal identity.
Christian and secular groups have joined the criticism. They call the policy “saffronization,” a term for embedding Hindu nationalist ideology into public institutions. The Association for the Protection of Civil Rights and several church bodies say the mandate forces children, including Christian and tribal students, to take part in rituals that violate their religious rights.
Adivasi leaders have warned the state government that if the mandate is not dropped, they will organize protests across the Bastar region.
Pastor Sam, from Frontlines, shared this important perspective:
“The current government is utilizing its position at both the central and state levels to advance its agenda by integrating Hindu ideology into the education system. The recent developments in the education system, specifically the integration of religious ideology into school curriculum and activities. Recent incidents involving mandatory prayers and chanting appear to demonstrate a forceful promotion of specific religious rituals within schools.
There is a growing concern that these actions are being used to create a narrative of widespread demand for such practices. This could eventually lead to pressure on private and minority institutions, such as Christian schools, to adopt similar religious practices. Such a shift could significantly impact the educational environment and potentially lead to the targeting of schools that choose not to comply.”
Christians in India need our support
Believers in Chhattisgarh and across India need Bibles in their own languages. They need discipleship training to stand firm under pressure. They need practical support to keep going when the cost of faith is high.
Frontlines is working to meet that need, partnering with local pastors and leaders to strengthen the church in India. Join us in supporting Christians in India today.
Please pray
For the new mandate: Please pray that the new education mandate in the state of Chattisgarh will be overturned, giving parents and children the freedom of religion to practice their faith freely.
For greater religious freedom: There are an increasing number of incidents of violence against Christians in India, especially in the state of Chhattisgarh. Pray for protection of churches, pastors and congregation members to stay strong in the midst of opposition.
