In Bihar, there are reported instances of Hindu daughters being enticed into relationships with Christians and subsequently coerced into marriage, along with forced conversion to Christianity.

Sunita stands as an example of a victim of this alleged phenomenon. As the youngest in her family, consisting of two brothers and a sister, Sunita, at the age of 17, fell prey to her neighbour John’s advances, leading to a situation from which she could not recover. Sunita was reportedly subjected to a form of emotional manipulation, ultimately leaving her home. Subsequently, John’s family facilitated her conversion to Christianity within 30 days.

Another individual with a similar experience is Maya, a Hindu girl who found herself in the web of “Christian love jihad.” Maya was reportedly lured into a romantic relationship by a Christian boy, leading to their marriage. Following the union, she underwent conversion to Christianity. Unfortunately, her husband abandoned her after they had two children. These cases underscore a pattern of Hindu girls being allegedly targeted, married, and then converted to Christianity within the context of these reported incidents of “love jihad.”

Low literacy rate areas are on target of Christian Love Jihad

Regions with low literacy rates are reportedly vulnerable to “Christian Love Jihad.” In Bihar’s Seemanchal area, hundreds of girls are said to have fallen victim to this phenomenon. Notably, between 1999 and 2005, there was a noticeable increase in the number of churches in the Seemanchal region of Bihar, with a preference for constructing them in villages rather than cities.

The alleged Christian Love Jihad is accompanied by suspicions of a significant conspiracy. Districts with lower literacy rates, including Araria, Katihar, Kishanganj, Purnia, Bhagalpur, Madhepura, and Begusarai, are identified as prime targets. The claim is that these areas, where literacy rates lag, provide an environment conducive to the alleged brainwashing of the population. The orchestrators of this alleged scheme are said to operate from Chennai.

Various zones in Bihar are reportedly witnessing efforts by individuals associated with schools and health centers to gradually entice residents into converting to Christianity. As the Christian population in these areas grows, the construction of churches follows suit.

In summary, the reported Christian Love Jihad is purportedly concentrated in regions with low literacy rates, with a notable impact in Bihar’s Seemanchal area. The increased number of churches in these areas is seen as indicative of a broader trend, raising concerns about the alleged influence and conversion activities taking place in districts where literacy rates are lower.

60 per cent of Christians in Madhepura

Madhepura district has witnessed a significant rise in the Christian population, ranging from 40 to 60 percent in many villages. An illustrative example is Tinkonwa village in the Murliganj block, situated 260 kilometers away from Patna, boasting 1400 households. Despite educational challenges, this village has a surprising number of churches.

With a population of 60 thousand, Tinkonwa features a missionary-run school offering education up to the 8th grade, along with a hospital. R Hambram and his wife Lalita are actively involved in preaching Christianity in this community. Lalita shares that numerous boys in the village have fallen in love with Hindu girls, leading to their conversion to Christianity for marriage. Lalita herself, having been a Hindu, embraced Christianity for love and married Christian R Hambram. She discloses that their approach involves conducting prayer meetings and music sessions to encourage people to convert to Christianity.

Sarita, hailing from Jharkhand, is another individual engaged in promoting Christianity. Formerly inspiring people in Saharsa to embrace the faith, she has now shifted her efforts to Madhepura. Sarita acknowledges the increasing trend of religious conversion following love marriages.

The conversion process typically takes place on the 32nd day after marriage in the church. During the preceding six months to a year, Hindu girls are systematically introduced to the intricacies of Christianity and its associated rituals. Investigations reveal that within just two years, 30 to 50 houses in the area have undergone conversion to Christianity.

Prominent families in the region have also embraced Christianity

Manoj’s family in the village has embraced Christianity, with Manoj adopting the name Manoj Hambram. Having two sons, both have reportedly enticed Hindu girls into relationships, ultimately leading to their conversion to Christianity before marriage. Consequently, the families of these girls have also converted to Christianity. A similar narrative unfolds with Roshan Hambram of the village church, who asserts that if a Hindu girl loves a Christian boy, conversion to Christianity before marriage is deemed necessary for the union to take place.

Roshan believes that the majority of converted girls were originally Hindus. He contends that Hindu girls are influenced by Christian ideas, attributing this influence to their exposure to Christian teachings since childhood.

In Tikonwa village in Purnia, Thakur Soren was allegedly enticed with land, leading to his conversion to Christianity. Unfortunately, his daughter became a victim of what is referred to as “love jihad,” as the Christian boy she married abandoned her after marriage.

Every Sunday, 150 converted Christians gather at the church in Tikonwa village, including the family of Chintu, who embraced Christianity in 2015. After Chintu’s 32nd day, they abstain from mentioning Hindu deities, avoid temples, and refrain from consuming prasad, asserting that the act of converting a Hindu to Christianity brings joy to Jesus.

Vivek Kumar of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad acknowledges the increasing instances of Hindu girls converting to Christianity. However, he notes that within three years, 2500 individuals have returned to their original Hindu faith.

Jawahar Jha, senior vice-president of the International Hindu Parishad Bihar, expresses concern, likening the conversion of Hindus to Christianity to a silent threat for the country. He emphasizes that these conversions specifically target poor Hindu families.