Across several parts of India, particularly in tribal and rural regions, Bhagwa extremist groups have increasingly relied on a familiar and dangerous pretext to legitimise mob violence against religious minorities — the allegation of “forced religious conversion.”

The brutal assault on Pastor Bipin Bihari Naik in Odisha’s Dhenkanal district is not an isolated incident. Rather, it reflects a broader, systemic pattern in which violence is normalised, victims are criminalised, and extremist groups operate with near impunity.

Manufacturing the Pretext of ‘Forced Conversion’

Allegations of forced conversion have become a weaponised accusation used to justify attacks on Christian prayer meetings, pastors, and ordinary believers. In most cases, no immediate evidence is presented. Prayer gatherings inside private homes, personal expressions of faith, or the mere presence of Christians in Hindu-majority villages are portrayed as criminal conspiracies.

Once the accusation is made, it serves as a green signal for mob action. The legal process is bypassed entirely, replaced by public punishment and humiliation carried out by self-appointed custodians of religion.

In Parjang village, a Hindu-majority area with only seven Christian families, a peaceful prayer meeting was framed as an act of forced conversion. This narrative was used to mobilise a mob allegedly involving members of the Bajrang Dal and local villagers.

Violence as Spectacle and Intimidation

The violence inflicted on Pastor Naik went beyond physical assault. He was allegedly beaten, paraded through the village, smeared with sindoor, garlanded with slippers, tied to a temple, and forced to consume cow dung or drain water. He was also pressured to chant religious slogans.

Such acts are not random. They are ritualised and performative, designed to publicly degrade the victim and send a warning to the wider community. The aim is not only punishment but intimidation — to ensure silence, compliance, and eventual displacement.

Following the assault, Christian families in the village were allegedly threatened with arson and social boycott, forcing them into hiding. Entire communities are pushed into fear-driven exile without any formal eviction or legal order.

Police Delay and Institutional Failure

Equally disturbing is the repeated pattern of police inaction or delay in such cases. According to the pastor’s wife, police initially claimed no incident was taking place, despite ongoing violence. Rescue came only after prolonged delay.

Even after intervention, the victim reportedly received no immediate medical care and was made to sit at the police station for nearly an hour. More troublingly, authorities allegedly attempted to dilute the case and later registered a counter-FIR against the victims, accusing them of forced conversion.

This tactic — filing counter-cases against those attacked — has become a standard method of neutralising complaints and deterring victims from seeking justice. The result is a complete inversion of accountability, where the assaulted are treated as offenders.

A Pattern Repeating Across Odisha

Odisha has witnessed repeated attacks against Christians in recent years, particularly in districts with tribal populations. Civil society groups have warned that Bhagwa extremist mobilisation thrives in such areas by exploiting misinformation, economic vulnerability, and weak administrative oversight.

These incidents raise serious concerns about religious freedom, constitutional rights, and the rule of law. When mobs replace courts and accusations replace evidence, democracy itself is undermined.

Beyond Condemnation: The Need for Accountability

Condemning individual incidents is no longer enough. What is urgently required is legal accountability for perpetrators, protection for vulnerable communities, and firm action against extremist groups that operate under the guise of cultural or religious defence.

Until the politics of pretext is dismantled and mob violence is decisively punished, Bhagwa extremism will continue to flourish — leaving minorities trapped between fear, displacement, and a justice system that too often looks away.