Ahead of Christmas, Jabalpur church incidents put spotlight on Hindutva fuelled hooliganism

Back-to-back incidents involving right-wing groups entering church premises and leading to violence have surfaced in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, this week, triggering a political controversy ahead of Christmas.

On Monday, tensions escalated at a church located behind Hawabagh Women’s College after allegations of forced religious conversion of visually impaired students. The situation drew wider attention after a video circulated on social media showing a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) district functionary in a physical altercation with a visually impaired woman inside the church.

According to officials, members of several right-wing organisations, accompanied by BJP district vice-president Anju Bhargava, entered the church premises alleging that visually impaired children were being coerced into conversion. The confrontation intensified inside the church and was captured on mobile phones.

The video shows Bhargava arguing with a visually impaired woman seated inside the church. At one point, Bhargava is seen holding the woman’s face, after which the woman reacts by twisting Bhargava’s arm and repeatedly asking her not to touch her. Others present intervened as the argument escalated, following which police arrived and brought the situation under control.

Police officials said the gathering involved visually impaired students who had been invited for a meal as part of Christmas-related outreach by members of the Christian community. The students, brought from a government-run hostel, told police they had come for lunch and prayers and denied any attempt at forced conversion.

“At this stage, there is no evidence of forced religious conversion. Statements of the students are being recorded,” a senior police officer said, adding that the children were later safely returned.

Right-wing organisations have lodged a complaint questioning how students from a government hostel were taken to a religious site without prior information to authorities. They also alleged that prayers conducted were exclusively Christian and claimed that non-vegetarian food was served at the venue.

Bhargava, speaking to The Indian Express, defended her presence at the church, saying she had gone there after receiving information that visually impaired women were being held against their will. She claimed some women had expressed a desire to leave and alleged irregularities in the organisation of the programme. Bhargava also said she was assaulted during the confrontation but chose not to file a complaint because the woman involved was visually impaired.

The incident followed another clash in the city a day earlier. On Sunday morning, a prayer service at a church in Madhotal area descended into chaos after members of a right-wing group entered the premises, leading to violence and multiple detentions.

The confrontation occurred around 11 am at a church near Shiv Shakti Nagar, where a prayer meeting was underway. According to police, questioning by the visitors about the gathering escalated into physical violence, with chairs thrown and slogans raised inside the church.

Members of the Hindu Seva Parishad claimed they had gone to the church after receiving information about a large gathering that included people from outside districts and alleged conversion-related activities.

Worshippers, however, alleged that a group of 15–20 men entered the church during prayers, chanting slogans and creating panic. One worshipper, Jitendra Barman, said women and children were assaulted during the disruption.

Police said several youths were detained for creating a disturbance, and investigations are underway to establish the sequence of events based on statements from all sides.