Rally Planned to Honor Hindu Leader Worries Christians in Odisha

India (International Christian Concern) — Many Christians in the Kandhamal district of Central India’s State of Odisha have fled their homes to neighboring provinces, while those who remain are living in fear and uncertainty. The reason? Hindu nationalist organizations announced a massive rally to commemorate the death anniversary of a Hindu ascetic this weekend.

Promoters of the rally, set to take place from this Saturday through Monday, Aug. 26, have made public announcements designed to whip up Hindu nationalistic fervor, asking people to gather in large numbers and bring weapons with them to rally, which will observe the 16th anniversary of Swamy Lakhmananand Saraswati.

The weapons are the main cause of alarm and the reason for the temporary exodus of Christians, including pastors from the district, who fear being targeted.

This rally is expected to bring about half a million Hindus to Saraswati’s 8-acre retreat center, located in the dense forest area of the tribal-dominated Kandhamal district of Odisha.

Unknown assassins murdered Saraswati on Aug. 24, 2008. Right-wing Hindus have maintained that it was the work of Christians, an accusation that Christians have vehemently denied.

Saraswati’s murder led to massive violent riots and reprisals against Christians in the Kandhamal district in 2008. More than 50,000 houses and churches were burned and destroyed. More than 3,000 Christians, including pastors, were killed, and countless others were rendered homeless. A nun was also raped on a public road. Hundreds of surviving pastors quit their pastoral work.

As the rally approaches, posters have been distributed through social media by “Shri Ram Sena Bharat,” stating, “The main (Christian) leaders who are converting tribal people (from original religion to Christianity) will be made to understand through words. If they do not listen to words, then weapons will be used.”

“The promoters of this rally are openly asking the people to come with whatever weapons they have stored in their homes through public mike systems,” Albert Dugad, a leading pastor from Kandhamal district, told International Christian Concern (ICC). “This is a brazen call to weaponize themselves for whatever they are plotting.”

Dugad, who was a victim of the 2008 riots, added, “We survived 2008, but now we are fearful that these people may create a similar situation now because, this time, the Hindu-nationalistic Bharatiya Janata Party has come to power in the elections held in June 2024.”

Meanwhile, in an official statement, local police have assured all Christians that they are taking adequate measures to maintain law and order and prevent any violence or riots.

District police scheduled a peace meeting after Hindus announced plans for the rally. Hindu and Christian leaders were called to assuage any fears of violence. Still, Christians remain skeptical.

This article is originally published on https://www.persecution.org/2024/08/22/rally-planned-to-honor-hindu-leader-worries-christians-in-odisha/