In several villages across the Dharampur and Kaprada talukas of Valsad district, a growing concern has prompted Hindu residents to approach the local administration. Over the past few days, applications have been submitted to the Mamlatdar’s office with a clear demand. The villagers are asking that permission to celebrate Christmas on December 25 should be granted only to those individuals who are officially recorded as Christians in government records.

According to local Hindu residents and organisations, these villages are increasingly turning into centres of what they describe as illegal religious conversion and aggressive proselytising activities. Hindu organisations have said they fear that large Christmas-related gatherings could further speed up such activities, especially in tribal areas where people are economically and socially vulnerable.

Hindu leaders from more than ten villages in the Dharampur and Kaprada talukas have submitted memoranda through organisations such as Dev Birsa Sena and Adivasi Sanskriti Bachao Sena. These submissions have been made directly to the Mamlatdar’s office over the last several days.

The applications clearly state that for many years now, people belonging to the Christian faith have been organising large gatherings, peace festivals, seminars, and similar programmes in tribal villages. The stated allegation is that these events are held with the intention of carrying out religious conversions. According to the villagers, missionaries and pastors arrive in these areas during the month of December and organise Christmas programmes in different villages.

The memoranda further allege that through these Christmas events, an organised effort is underway to distance tribal communities from their original culture, customs, and traditions. The organisations claim that this process ultimately aims to erase the indigenous identity of tribal people, which they describe as a serious and sensitive issue.

At the same time, the organisations have clarified that they do not discriminate against any religion and that they respect all faiths and sects. However, they strongly insist that only those individuals who are legally recorded as Christians in official government documents should be allowed to organise Christmas programmes. They have demanded that anyone seeking permission must first produce valid certificates proving they are registered as Christians, and that permission should be granted only after proper verification by authorities.

What Local Hindus Are Observing on the Ground

When media teams visited several villages in the Dharampur region to understand the situation better, a number of noticeable patterns emerged. One striking observation was that as one travels further away from Dharampur town into more remote tribal areas, the number of churches increases significantly. Churches have been constructed in many villages, often in areas with very small or officially non-existent Christian populations.

It is also important to note that in the past, several cases have come to light in these same regions where churches were built illegally on government land without obtaining any official permission. Such cases have been reported earlier in local media and have raised questions about land use, permissions, and enforcement by authorities.

For reference, issues related to unauthorised religious structures on government land have previously been discussed in the context of Gujarat’s local administration and land laws, details of which are available on official district portals such as the Valsad district website: https://valsad.nic.in

A Church in a Remote Dharampur Village

Hindu leaders from Gadina village, which is located barely two kilometres from the Maharashtra border, have also submitted an application to the Dharampur Mamlatdar’s office. Speaking to media, village leaders explained that Gadina has a population of around 1,400 people. However, not a single person from the village is officially recorded as a Christian in government records.

Despite this, a church has been constructed in the village. According to local residents, programmes are frequently organised there, and Hindu villagers are also encouraged or persuaded to participate in these events.

Local Hindus allege that the process usually begins by involving innocent tribal Hindus in social or religious programmes. Over time, missionaries and pastors are said to offer inducements, claim to cure illnesses through miracles, promise financial help, and actively promote the Christian faith. Participants are then encouraged to bring more people along, gradually expanding the reach of these programmes.

Speaking to media, Gadina’s local leader Pilubhai Chaudhary said, “Most churches have been built illegally, without obtaining any permission. These churches then become centres for conversion activities. Once local Hindu tribals start going there, they are gradually persuaded not to worship Hindu deities, not to visit temples or traditional places of worship, and eventually, the individual becomes completely disconnected from their religion and culture.”

Concerns Over Alleged Conversion Networks

Pilubhai further stated that if there is not a single person officially registered as a Christian in government records in a village, then there is no valid justification for organising Christmas or related religious programmes in that area. He added that even if permission is granted, authorities should clearly disclose how many Christians officially reside in that village.

Village leaders have also pointed out what they describe as a major loophole. According to them, in many villages, people are converted through inducements or influence but continue to be recorded as Hindus in government records. They also continue to avail government benefits meant for Scheduled Tribes and Hindu communities. This, they argue, explains why despite the visible rise in large churches across many villages, the officially recorded Christian population remains extremely low.

Local Hindus fear that Christmas programmes could once again intensify proselytising activities. For this reason, they are demanding that permission be granted only to those who are officially recognised as Christians after proper verification.

A Wider Issue Across South Gujarat’s Eastern Belt

According to local residents and community leaders, this issue is not confined to just a few villages in Dharampur or Kaprada. Over the past several years, rapid demographic changes have been observed across the eastern belt of South Gujarat. This stretch includes Dharampur, Kaprada, Dang, Tapi, and even the northernmost parts of Surat district, such as Umarpada and Dediapada.

Locals allege that since many converts do not go through the legal process of religious conversion, they continue to be officially recorded as Hindus. However, over time, Hindu religious practices and cultural traditions gradually disappear from their daily lives.

Recently, media published a special report highlighting the construction of an illegal church in Umarpada, suggesting that this issue is slowly spreading from South Gujarat towards Central Gujarat. Similar reports on unauthorised religious conversions and structures can be found in coverage related to the Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act, details of which are available on the Gujarat government’s official portal: https://home.gujarat.gov.in/

Demographic changes have reportedly led to several other challenges. In many villages of Dang and Tapi districts, followers of Hinduism are said to have become a minority. Residents claim that temples are disappearing, and traditional tribal sacred sites are either being destroyed or altered. One such case reportedly came to light in 2022 in a village in Songadh, where an ancient tribal sacred site was demolished and replaced with a shrine dedicated to Mother Mary.

Because of these developments, local Hindus say they have become more alert ahead of Christmas this year and have raised their concerns before the administration well in advance. What decision the administration and the government will take on these demands remains to be seen.

Media attempted to contact the Dharampur Mamlatdar for his response on the matter, but could not establish contact. The report will be updated once an official response is received.