Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Religious violence in Odisha
Religious violence in Odisha consists of civil unrest and riots in the Indian state of Odisha. In 1990s and early 2000s violence also took place between Hindus and Baptist missionaries and communist Maoists.
The Kandhamal district contains several tribal reservations where only tribal people can own land. The largest community in Kandhamal is the Kandha tribe. Most Kandha tribal people follow tribal and animistic forms of Hinduism. However, the socio-economic and political landscape of Kandhamal is dominated by its second-largest community, the non-tribal Pana caste. The region is also home to the Maoist guerrillas, a revolutionary communist movement. Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda stated groups tend to recruit most of their leaders and cadre insurgents from tribal communities. However, the Maoists were converting tribals to Christianity and were also targeting the Indian Army to establish a communist state which angered many locals leading to violence."
Major issues in Kandhamal were the Maoists and Naxal terrorists exploiting the tribals and Scheduled caste that have led to tensions are claims that "The Scheduled Caste and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act" is violated. Such claims include the forcible occupation of tribal land, fake issuance of tribal and exploiting tribals for insurgent activities to create a communist state . This previously resulted in civil unrest and communal tensions in 1986, 1994 and 2001.
Franciscan missionary Friar Odoric visited India in the 14th century and wrote about his visit to Puri in a journal which he later published in Europe. In the journal, Odoric wrote in detail about a huge chariot containing idols of Hindu deities from the grand and famous Jagannath temple which is taken out annually in a procession known as the rath yatra. Odoric's account of the ceremony spread throughout Europe and by the 19th century the word juggernaut began to be associated with an unstoppable force of such proportions that is capable of destroying everything in its path. Subsequently, Baptist missionaries came to Odisha in 1822 during the British Empire's colonial rule over India.
The communal disharmony arose even before Indian independence in 1947 on aforementioned issue of religious conversion. Conversions have been legislated by the provisions of the Freedom of Religion Acts. Odisha was the first province of independent India to enact legislation in regards to religious conversions. The Orissa Freedom of Religion Act, 1967, mentions that no person shall "convert or attempt to convert, either directly or otherwise, any person from one religious faith to another by the use of force or by inducement or by any fraudulent means". Christian missions have been active in Odisha among the tribals from the early years of the twentieth century. Hindus and NGOs have alleged that the increase in the number of Christians in Odisha has been a result of an exploitation of illiteracy and impoverishment of the tribals by the missionaries in contravention of the law, instead of free will. Some also said the use of black magic and witchcraft to trap the poor tribals. Many of these Christian missionaries received the support of Maoist and Naxalist terrorists which angered the locals a lot.
Behind the clashes are long-simmering tensions between equally impoverished groups: the Kandha tribe, who are 80% of the population, and the Pana(ପାଣ). Both are original inhabitants of the land. The Panas have been converted to Christianity either by offering them money or by exploitation by missionaries or by force of naxalite-maoists.
Hindu groups have blamed the violence on the issue of religious conversion. Conversions have been legislated by the provisions of the Freedom of Religion Acts, replicated in some of the states in India. Odisha was the first state of independent India to enact legislation on religious conversions. The Orissa Freedom of Religion Act, 1967, stipulates that 'no person shall "convert or attempt to convert, either directly or otherwise, any person from one religious faith to another by the use of force or by inducement or by any fraudulent means"'. Hindus claim the Christian missionaries were converting poor tribal people by feeding them beef, which is shirk in Hinduism.
Hindus have further alleged that the increase in the number of Christians in Odisha has been a result of exploitation of illiteracy and impoverishment and use of black magic by the missionaries and use of force by Naxalists. The Census of India shows that Christian population in Kandhamal grew from around 43,000 in 1981 to 117,950 in 2001.
Hub AI
Religious violence in Odisha AI simulator
(@Religious violence in Odisha_simulator)
Religious violence in Odisha
Religious violence in Odisha consists of civil unrest and riots in the Indian state of Odisha. In 1990s and early 2000s violence also took place between Hindus and Baptist missionaries and communist Maoists.
The Kandhamal district contains several tribal reservations where only tribal people can own land. The largest community in Kandhamal is the Kandha tribe. Most Kandha tribal people follow tribal and animistic forms of Hinduism. However, the socio-economic and political landscape of Kandhamal is dominated by its second-largest community, the non-tribal Pana caste. The region is also home to the Maoist guerrillas, a revolutionary communist movement. Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda stated groups tend to recruit most of their leaders and cadre insurgents from tribal communities. However, the Maoists were converting tribals to Christianity and were also targeting the Indian Army to establish a communist state which angered many locals leading to violence."
Major issues in Kandhamal were the Maoists and Naxal terrorists exploiting the tribals and Scheduled caste that have led to tensions are claims that "The Scheduled Caste and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act" is violated. Such claims include the forcible occupation of tribal land, fake issuance of tribal and exploiting tribals for insurgent activities to create a communist state . This previously resulted in civil unrest and communal tensions in 1986, 1994 and 2001.
Franciscan missionary Friar Odoric visited India in the 14th century and wrote about his visit to Puri in a journal which he later published in Europe. In the journal, Odoric wrote in detail about a huge chariot containing idols of Hindu deities from the grand and famous Jagannath temple which is taken out annually in a procession known as the rath yatra. Odoric's account of the ceremony spread throughout Europe and by the 19th century the word juggernaut began to be associated with an unstoppable force of such proportions that is capable of destroying everything in its path. Subsequently, Baptist missionaries came to Odisha in 1822 during the British Empire's colonial rule over India.
The communal disharmony arose even before Indian independence in 1947 on aforementioned issue of religious conversion. Conversions have been legislated by the provisions of the Freedom of Religion Acts. Odisha was the first province of independent India to enact legislation in regards to religious conversions. The Orissa Freedom of Religion Act, 1967, mentions that no person shall "convert or attempt to convert, either directly or otherwise, any person from one religious faith to another by the use of force or by inducement or by any fraudulent means". Christian missions have been active in Odisha among the tribals from the early years of the twentieth century. Hindus and NGOs have alleged that the increase in the number of Christians in Odisha has been a result of an exploitation of illiteracy and impoverishment of the tribals by the missionaries in contravention of the law, instead of free will. Some also said the use of black magic and witchcraft to trap the poor tribals. Many of these Christian missionaries received the support of Maoist and Naxalist terrorists which angered the locals a lot.
Behind the clashes are long-simmering tensions between equally impoverished groups: the Kandha tribe, who are 80% of the population, and the Pana(ପାଣ). Both are original inhabitants of the land. The Panas have been converted to Christianity either by offering them money or by exploitation by missionaries or by force of naxalite-maoists.
Hindu groups have blamed the violence on the issue of religious conversion. Conversions have been legislated by the provisions of the Freedom of Religion Acts, replicated in some of the states in India. Odisha was the first state of independent India to enact legislation on religious conversions. The Orissa Freedom of Religion Act, 1967, stipulates that 'no person shall "convert or attempt to convert, either directly or otherwise, any person from one religious faith to another by the use of force or by inducement or by any fraudulent means"'. Hindus claim the Christian missionaries were converting poor tribal people by feeding them beef, which is shirk in Hinduism.
Hindus have further alleged that the increase in the number of Christians in Odisha has been a result of exploitation of illiteracy and impoverishment and use of black magic by the missionaries and use of force by Naxalists. The Census of India shows that Christian population in Kandhamal grew from around 43,000 in 1981 to 117,950 in 2001.