Andhra Pradesh News Special Reports

Complaint filed against Church pastors for forcefully converting tribals by giving them death threats

August 12, 2021
The Commune

In a blatant and ruthless incidenit of proselytization, a group of Church pastors forcefully trespassed Chenchu tribal hamlets instigating and forcefully imposing Christianity on the indigenous community by issuing serious death threat to them.

The said incident reportedly happened on 4th August 2021 in the village hamlet of nomadic Chenchu tribals named ‘Chenchu Colony’ in Balijepalli Village of Prakasam District, Andhra Pradesh.

Prior to this, on 28th July 2021, a group of pastors had visited the same tribal hamlet allegedly for proselytization activities. The tribal people had welcomed the pastors with their traditional tribal honours and requested not to thrust Christianity upon them and destroy their ancestral faith and beliefs.

Despite the appeal by the tribal community, a mob of pastors had come from faraway places and trespassed into the tribal hamlet. They allegedly issued death threats by saying that nobody would be left alive if they don’t believe in Jesus.

They had also challenged tribal people to try and stop them and deliberately sang Christian gospel songs in order to instigate the them. They had allegedly forced upon Christian views to tribal women and children and convert them.

The SC ST Right Forum, a non-profit organization working for the rights of Scheduled Castes, has revealed that the said activities were being supported financially by a pastor named Mr. Vijay Kumar who belongs to CGTI Ministries of Ravulapalem Town located in East Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh,

Along with him, one Vijay Kumar, infamous for his hate speech against Indian nation and Hindu Gods and Goddesses for which he was arrested by police is also said to be supporting the pastors. Vijay Kumar has been booked under sections 153A, 153B and 295A of the IPC in December 2017.

Mr. Peter Putta, another instigator in this incident maintains a group named Freedom For Christian Integretay (FFCI).

The SC ST Rights Forum has requested the District Collector and Superintendent of Police of Prakasam District, Andhra Pradesh to conduct an inquiry into the matter and take suitable measures to safeguard tribal communities from Christian missionaries.