Christians in Bihar Village Threatened with Expulsion Over Faith

BHAGALPUR, August 12, 2026: Christians in Gopalpur village of Bihar’s Bhagalpur district were allegedly threatened on August 8 with being forced to leave the area unless they renounced Christianity and returned to Hinduism.

The threats were reportedly made through public announcements broadcast from a loudspeaker mounted on an autorickshaw that travelled through the village. The incident has drawn concern among Church and human rights groups over the safety and religious freedom of Christians in the area.

Jesuit priest and human rights activist Fr. Cedric Prakash condemned the alleged threats, saying they violated the constitutional rights of Indian citizens to freely profess, practise and propagate their religion.

“First of all, we belong to a secular country,” Fr. Prakash told Catholic Connect, stressing that no individual or group had the authority to determine who could worship or practise a particular religion.

He said forcing Christians to abandon their faith or leave their homes was contrary to constitutional protections and human dignity. “This is constitutionally wrong. It is immoral and it cannot and should not be taken lightly,” he said.

Fr. Prakash called on the Bhagalpur district administration and Bihar government to take immediate action against those responsible and ensure that Christians in Gopalpur can live peacefully and practise their faith without intimidation.

He also expressed concern over what he described as a sharp rise in hostility towards Christians and other minority communities in recent years.

“What has happened now in the last few years, very especially since the last election, is that the attacks on Christians, on minorities, including Muslims, have gone up tremendously,” he said.

Fr. Prakash pointed to the longstanding presence of Jesuit missions in Bihar, saying the Church has worked in the state for decades in cooperation with government agencies and has focused particularly on marginalised communities.

“We are working mainly with a lot of the downtrodden communities, with those who have nowhere to go,” he said, referring to Church outreach among Dalits, Other Backward Classes and other disadvantaged groups.

He also recalled recent visits to Bihar, including one shortly before the last elections, when he met Church representatives and participated in awareness programmes. During those visits, he said, concerns had been raised about the exclusion of some members of minority communities during revision of electoral rolls, potentially preventing them from exercising their voting rights.

Fr. Prakash said government authorities at every level had a responsibility to protect citizens and uphold their constitutional rights.

“The administration, whether local, district, state or central administration, must ensure the protection of every single citizen under the rights guaranteed by the Constitution,” he said. “This is serious and needs to be addressed immediately.”

By Catholic Connect Reporter