Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday strongly condemned the alleged attack on a group of Christian pilgrims, including Malayali priests, in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, describing the incident as “extremely heinous” and calling for stringent legal action against those responsible.

According to reports, the attack occurred on March 31 within the premises of the Ranjhi Police Station in Jabalpur, when a group of tribal Christians, including women and children from Mandla district, were reportedly detained following allegations of “forced religious conversion” made by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).

The situation escalated when Keralite priests who came to support the detained group were allegedly assaulted, reportedly in the presence of police personnel.

“This incident is extremely heinous. The team of tribal people, including children and women, who were on a pilgrimage were taken to the police station under the pretext of forced conversion. The Keralite priests who came to help them were attacked as police watched. The growing communal attacks in India are a threat to peaceful living and the progress of the country,” said CM Vijayan in a strongly worded statement.

Opposition leaders across Kerala and beyond joined in condemning the incident, with Congress general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal blaming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government and its ideological affiliates for the increasing attacks on religious minorities.

“In the last year, 753 churches have been attacked by the RSS and Sangh Parivar. The government is not taking any action,” Venugopal alleged, while speaking to reporters in Parliament.

He further claimed the Jabalpur incident was “another example” of how the BJP and its affiliates are targeting minority communities.

The incident has sparked a political uproar in Kerala, with members of the Congress and other Opposition parties raising the issue in the Lok Sabha.

Their demand for a discussion on the matter was denied by Speaker Om Birla, prompting a walkout.

Congress MPs, led by Venugopal, later staged a protest inside Parliament.

In an X post later in the day, CM Vijayan reiterated his position: “The growing communal violence is a dangerous assault on India’s secular fabric, threatening the nation’s core values. The Union Government’s inaction and complicity embolden the attackers and tarnish the country’s image globally. Immediate action must be taken against those responsible. Kerala stands firmly with the victims.”

The incident also comes at a time when both the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) and Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC) have expressed concerns about both the ruling and Opposition fronts in Kerala, particularly in relation to their stances on the Waqf Amendment Bill.

The Jabalpur Police, meanwhile, have denied allegations of physical assault.

Superintendent of Police Sampat Upadhyay told The Hindu that only a verbal altercation and some “pushing” had taken place, and that the identity of the priests could not be immediately confirmed as they were in “regular clothes.”

“An FIR has been filed against three unknown persons, and we are currently recording witness statements,” said Upadhyay.

He confirmed that the bus involved had carried local people from Maharajpur in Mandla district, along with a priest and a nun, visiting churches in the city.

Local outfits reported the group to police on suspicion of religious conversion.

However, video footage from the scene appears to show a woman slapping a priest as he was being escorted away by police, contradicting the police’s version of events.

CM Vijayan, referencing this, stated that the priests were clearly attacked even as law enforcement stood by.

The VHP’s district coordinator Aarti Shukla had earlier alleged that the tribal men and women had been “forcibly” brought to Jabalpur for conversion.

“You can see their dressing and lifestyle; it’s all Hindu style. I can claim that they are Hindus and have been lured here with force and threats to convert them,” she said.

Criticising the Union government’s silence, Vijayan remarked that its failure to address the ongoing crisis in Manipur had emboldened communal forces across the country.

“Those responsible are still not ready to find a permanent solution to the conflicts that have occurred, including in Manipur. This, in turn, is leading to an increase in attacks on religious minorities,” he said.

He urged both the Madhya Pradesh government and the Centre to ensure all possible assistance to the victims and to take appropriate legal action against the perpetrators.

“They should refrain from actions that spread hatred and create unrest in society,” he added.