Hindu militants attack Christians, church over alleged religious conversion

In Jamui, Bihar, Hindu extremists from the militant group Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) assaulted three members of the Christian community and forced them to chant the Hindu supremacist warcry “Jai Shri Ram”, alleging that they were forcibly converting Hindus to Christianity. In Durg, Chhattisgarh, Hindu militants from the Bajrang Dal attacked a church over alleged religious conversions. According to police reports, dozens were injured due to stone pelting. 

D.C.-based human rights group International Christian Concern named India among the top 10 countries persecuting Christians in its 2023 Persecutors of the Year Report. 

Far-right BJP leaders promote conspiracy theories to incite fear against Muslims

In Vijayapura, Karnataka, Hindu extremist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker T. Raja Singh delivered a hate speech against Muslims, which included an oath to start a war against “love jihad and religious conversions.” Singh also delivered an inflammatory speech in Telangana and promoted various anti-Muslim conspiracy theories. 

In Mumbai, Maharashtra, BJP leader Nitesh Rane advocated for violence and incited hatred against Muslims by touting conspiracy theories targeting Muslim civic officials and Rohingya refugees. 

Police open fire at alleged “cattle smuggler,” victim sustains bullet wound

In BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh’s Auraiya, police fired gunshots at an alleged “cattle smuggler,” who sustained a bullet injury in his leg. 

The incident is the latest in an ongoing trend of violent attacks against predominantly Muslim cattle traders by law enforcement. Over the last few months, multiple such injuries have occurred due to police firing.