The tactics of the Christian conversion mafia to use children for its evangelical activities have led to a situation where the Vanvasiculture, as well as customs and practices, have come under threat in Narayanpur’s Abujmarh. In view of the worsening conversion situation in the place, elders have asked children who have converted to Christianity to leave the village.

Vanvasis have been one of the major targets of Christian evangelicals and BJP MP Gomati Sai from Chhattisgarh had raised this issue in Parliament last December. drew the attention of the members to rampant conversion activities in the state.

The Abujmarh case is a perfect example of how Christian missionaries wreak havoc by turning family members against each other. When the villagers saw the rising threat of Christian conversion to their indigenous religion and asked those who had converted to leave, the children lodged a complaint against their families and villagers with the Kukdajhor Police Station alleging robbery and assault.

Following this, 15 villagers were issued notices by the police. Kalmanar, Kastumeta, and Nednar villagers reached the police station where they confronted the evangelicals who had leveled false accusations against them. Tribals from Narayanpur District have been raised the flag of protest against Christian evangelicals as increasing conversions are threatening their way of life with many from the younger generation embracing Christianity. It is for this reason that the villagers and 3 families asked the converted children to leave.

Family members from the three villages reached the police station to record their statements apprising the police of the entire sequence of events. when the pleas of family members asking the converted children to return to their tribal way of life fell on deaf ears, the latter were asked to leave.

Converts Mukesh Yadav, Hemnath, Sanno, Sonadevi Gota say that earlier they used to worship Devis and Devatas but remained ill. They insist that after they converted to Christianity, they got cured by praying, and hence they adopted Christianity. They also stated that they’ll not return to their original faith.

The innocent tribals are faced with aggressive conversion mafia who have been luring youngsters with such ‘miracle cures’. The villagers cited the inaction of the administration in stopping such missionary activities as the reason for the villagers having to take matters into their own hands to save their culture.

Evangelicals are using poverty, diseases, and other lack of developmental activities to prey upon innocents. The 4/14 movement is aimed at converting children in the 4 to 14 age group so that an entire generation can be used to harvest souls. “If a child can come into an authentic relationship with Jesus, not only will their life be changed, but they can transform their community and even the world around them”, states their website.

We are already seeing how illegal evangelical activities, aided by ‘secular’ political parties are threatening the indigenous way of life and turning the younger generation not only against their own elders but also pushing them away from their roots. In this context, the concerns of members of the Abhuj Maria tribe, a sub-sect of the Gond tribe, are not unfounded and the question of how to stop their younger generations from converting to Christianity is staring them in the face.

(Featured Image Source: Zee News)