RAIPUR: Tension flared in a village in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district on Tuesday after 26 Christian families were allegedly asked to leave by fellow villagers over a long-running dispute linked to religious conversion.It prompted a heavy police deployment and day-long negotiations in the sensitive Bastar region as the ostracized villagers gathered outside village demonstrating against the issue.The standoff at Bharanda village continued till late in the night before district authorities brokered a compromise, allowing the families to return to their homes.Several members of the affected families had spent hours outside the settlement after villagers objected to their continued stay in the village.According to officials, tensions in the village have been simmering since December last year and escalated after a clash between the two groups on June 9.Christian families alleged they were being socially boycotted and targeted because of their faith, while tribal residents claimed religious conversions were affecting traditional customs, social practices and community institutions.The latest flashpoint emerged after a village meeting in the village, where residents demanded that the Christian families leave alleging of religious activities and prayer gatherings in the village.With tensions escalating, police and district officials launched intensive negotiations involving both sides considering the sensitivity of the matter.ASP Sushil Nayak told reporters that nearly 13-14 rounds of discussions were held before a settlement was reached late in the night.Under the compromise, the Christian families have been permitted to continue living in the village but no religious activities will take place within the settlement including the home prayer or the last rites of dead.They will have to go out of the village to do so, the residents said, adding that those who have adopted Christianity should return to their basic religion within a month.Villagers maintained that activities perceived as contrary to traditional tribal customs, local deities and established social practices would not be permitted within the village.Officials said no violence was reported during the latest confrontation, though the situation remained tense enough to warrant deployment of additional police forces throughout the day.Such disputes in remote regions of Bastar have drawn attention to the growing friction over religious conversion, where similar disagreements between tribal communities and converted Christians have surfaced periodically in recent years.Police said the situation in Bharanda was peaceful on Wednesday and would continue to be monitored amid heavy deployment of security forces and police.The administration has appealed to both sides to maintain harmony and resolve differences through dialogue.
