Indian Court stops Christian man from burying his father
Despite earlier expressions of concern, India’s Supreme Court has ultimately ruled against a Christian man, Ramesh Baghel, who sought to bury his father on ancestral land in Chhattisgarh. Due to local opposition fuelled by anti-Christian sentiment and claims that the land was reserved for Hindu Indigenous people, lower courts had directed him to use a Christian cemetery 40 kilometres away.
Ramesh Baghel, from Chhindawada village in Bastar district, wanted to fulfil his father, Subhash Baghel’s, final wish to be buried on their ancestral land. However, local villagers opposed the burial, citing his conversion to Christianity. “What power do I have to challenge the Supreme Court’s order?” Baghel told UCA News on Jan. 27.
Ramesh’s father, 65, died on Jan. 7 after a serious illness, and his body has been kept in a mortuary at a medical college in Jagdalpur since then. Baghel plans to bury his father on Jan. 28 in compliance with the Supreme Court’s directive.
Villagers refused access to the common burial ground, stating it was meant only for Hindu Indigenous people. Attempts by Baghel to seek help from local police and civil authorities, including the district collector, were unsuccessful, forcing him to approach the Bilaspur High Court. The court denied his petition on Jan. 9, citing concerns over a potential “law and order problem.”
On Jan. 27, the Supreme Court delivered a split verdict. Justice B.V. Nagarathna supported Baghel’s plea, while Justice Satish Chandra Sharma upheld the high court’s decision. The case was not referred to a larger bench, considering the prolonged storage of the body.
The final order mandates the burial at the distant cemetery with police protection.
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The court had earlier expressed its sadness over the situation, noting, “Why should a person who has lived in a village not be buried there? It’s unfortunate that he had to come to the Supreme Court for this.”
Baghel alleged that local authorities colluded with villagers under the influence of right-wing Hindu groups aiming to eliminate Christian presence. A pastor in the area echoed these concerns, highlighting ongoing social boycotts against 310 Christians in the village for the past two years.
This case highlights the increasing hostility faced by Christians in Chhattisgarh, where they are a small minority and have experienced rising discrimination and targeted attacks.
Chhattisgarh has seen rising anti-Christian violence, recording 165 incidents in 2024 alone, the second highest in India after Uttar Pradesh, according to the United Christian Forum (UCF). Christians form less than 2% of the state’s population of 30 million, with most residents identifying as Hindus.
Content Credit| Igbakuma Rita Doom
Picture Credit | https://humenglish.com/
