Two Christian Families in Odisha Denied Basic Rights for Refusing to Reconvert

Bhubaneswar, March 29, 2025 – Two Christian families in Siunaguda village, in Odisha’s Nabarangpur district, have been deprived of electricity, water, and government welfare for refusing to renounce their faith and reconvert to Hinduism. Local authorities have failed to intervene, leaving the families struggling for basic necessities.

Pastor Gangadhar Santa, 28, reported that his family and his uncle’s family lost access to electricity on March 23, immediately after rejecting demands to reconvert. “The moment we refused, they severed our power supply,” he said. Additionally, the families have been banned from using the village borewell, leaving them without clean drinking water.

Systematic Denial of Government Welfare

The village recently conducted a survey for the Indira Awas Yojana, a housing scheme for the poor. Despite qualifying for the program, Pastor Gangadhar’s family and his uncle’s family were deliberately excluded from the list of beneficiaries. “We meet the criteria, yet our names were left out,” lamented Pastor Gangadhar.

In another act of discrimination, their land and properties were ignored during the official demarcation process.

“Every other family had their properties marked, but ours were overlooked, as if we don’t exist,” he added.

Increase in Religious Persecution

The harassment of Christian families in Siunaguda is not new. On March 3, the village’s Hindu majority refused to allow the burial of 75-year-old Kesab Santa, Gangadhar’s grandfather, because his children were Christians. Despite being a Hindu and a respected natural healer, his burial was blocked unless the family reconverted.

After hours of emotional distress, Gangadhar’s uncle, Turpu Santa, signed a declaration of reconversion, enabling the burial to proceed at 6 p.m. that evening. The deceased’s body had remained in the village street for an entire day while local authorities failed to act.

“This is the fifth time Christians have been denied burial rights here,” said Gangadhar. “My father died in 2023, and although he was a Hindu, we were forced to travel 10 kilometers to bury him because we had converted to Christianity.”

Fear and Intimidation Grip the Village

Villagers have accused a tribal leader, Purna Bagh, of leading the campaign of intimidation. Despite multiple complaints, the police have failed to take action. “The administration seems powerless against him,” said Gangadhar.

Siunaguda village consists of approximately 130 families from the Kondh tribal community. Five families had converted to Christianity, but three have reconverted under pressure, leaving only two families steadfast in their faith despite the hardships.

Call for Protection and Religious Freedom

Pastor Gangadhar remains resolute. When asked if he would reconsider reconversion, he responded, “Never. Heaven is all I desire. The Bible says, ‘Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.’”

He urged authorities to uphold constitutional rights. “We live in a secular nation that guarantees religious freedom. I only ask for protection, justice, and the freedom we are entitled to as Indian citizens.”

Despite constitutional safeguards, religious persecution continues in several parts of India, raising urgent questions about the implementation of laws protecting minority rights.

By Sujata Jena