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RAIPUR, INDIA November 26, 2004: Naxalities, after vandalizing Hindu temples, attacked Ganesha utsav mandaps (temporary festival shrines) and ashrams in Bastar and Dantewara districts three months ago, have turned to Christian missionaries. Naxalities, who follow Marxist philosophy, ordered Christian missionaries to stop carrying out “religious conversions of tribals.” They ordered eight tribal families of Markabeda village in Narainpur sub-division–who converted to Christianity some months back, “To leave the village or risk being ‘punished’ for converting,” a senior district official at Jagdalpur confirmed. Most families, fearing the wrath of the Naxalites, have taken shelter in a missionary in Narainpur. The terrified families have reportedly asked the administration to rehabilitate them elsewhere. “If we return, they (the Naxalities) will kill us,” says a member of one of the families. In Dantewara, Naxalities distributed pamphlets against Christian missionaries, threatening them with dire consequences if they were found exploiting the tribals or carrying out religious conversions. The recent developments had sent shock waves through the missionaries. So far, Naxalities only targeted the VHP and RSS activists, accusing them of converting the tribals to Hinduism. Recently, armed Naxalities had attacked Ganesha ustav mandapas in Narainpur. A few days later, they reached an ashram and thrashed the sadhus there.

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