ISLAMABAD: A coalition of right-wing Hindu groups enforced a statewide shutdown in India’s Chhattisgarh state on Wednesday, disrupting daily life and targeting Christmas celebrations amid protests over alleged religious conversions, according to Indian media reports.
The daylong shutdown, known as a “Chhattisgarh Bandh,” was called by the Sarva Hindu Samaj to protest what it described as an inadequate police response to a violent clash earlier this week in Kanker district, The Hindu reported.
The unrest escalated in Raipur, the state capital, where a mob stormed the Magneto Mall on Wednesday afternoon. The media reported that about 40 to 50 men armed with sticks and rods entered the mall, tore down Christmas decorations including stars, garlands, and a Santa Claus display, and questioned shoppers and staff about their religious identity and caste before damaging property.
The Indian Express reported that Raipur police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against around 30 unidentified individuals on charges of rioting and vandalism. Police said investigations were underway.
The shutdown capped a volatile week for minority relations in central India.
On Tuesday, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India issued a statement condemning what it described as an “alarming” rise in attacks on Christians during the Christmas season.
According to The Hindu, the bishops said they were particularly disturbed by a viral video from Jabalpur in the neighboring state of Madhya Pradesh. The footage allegedly shows Anju Bhargava, a local vice president of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, verbally abusing and physically harassing a visually impaired woman who was attending a Christmas program.
“These attacks gravely undermine India’s constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion,” the bishops said in the statement, urging Union Home Minister Amit Shah to ensure strict law enforcement and provide “proactive protection” to Christian communities.
