Christians in Chhattisgarh face hostility and legal peril under new conversion law

Churches in Chhattisgarh have begun displaying warning boards advising non-Christians to enter at their own risk, a precautionary measure taken in response to the Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Act, 2026, which introduces a stricter regulatory framework around religious conversion.

Long-standing Christian believers in the state are facing a dual threat: mounting hostility from right-wing groups and fellow villagers on one side, and a law they say could penalise those who seek formal recognition of their faith on the other. The general secretary of the Dhamtari District Christian Forum confirmed the warning boards were erected specifically to avoid action under the new legislation.

The law has created widespread unease among minority communities, who fear it may be wielded against ordinary worshippers rather than targeting genuinely coercive conversions. Critics argue the legislation places an undue burden on Christians to justify and register their beliefs, leaving many feeling criminalised for practising a faith they have held for generations.