By Anugrah Kumar,
Hindu nationalist groups in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh are leveraging technology like the popular messaging app WhatsApp to target Christian minorities and force them to convert to Hinduism, according to a report, which reflects a trend that is not uncommon in other parts of the Hindu-majority country, where persecution of Christians is rising.
In the densely forested Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, Christian communities are facing increasing pressure from organizations such as the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP, or World Hindu Council). These groups use WhatsApp to rapidly mobilize mobs that confront Christians during vulnerable moments, particularly funerals, demanding they renounce their faith, reports Rest of World.
These attacks have intensified since Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party took office in 2014, the report notes, pointing to the expansion of internet access and the availability of cheap data that followed, which significantly impacted the country, especially its rural areas like the Bastar region where internet users now outnumber those in urban areas.
The article further notes that the VHP began providing some of its members with basic smartphones — models from brands like Vivo or Samsung — to enable them to use WhatsApp. This access to technology allowed the VHP to rapidly communicate and coordinate actions across a vast region.
The report cites one such example, the Kashyap family, who had converted to Christianity in 2014 seeking community support when the head of the family, Radhibai, a woman, was diagnosed with throat cancer. When she died in May this year, a mob coordinated via WhatsApp descended upon their home.
This story was originally published in christianpost.com. Read the full story here.