“The signs advise potential visitors that worship services are for Christians only and that non-Christians who enter do so at their own risk,” says Voice of the Martyrs Korea Representative Dr. Hyun Sook Foley. So far ten of the thirty churches in Dhamtari have posted the signs outside their doors, and the Dhamtari Christian forum is urging churches across the region—as well as Christians who host prayer meetings in their homes—to do the same.  

According to Representative Foley, the signs are the result of legal concerns, not a lack of hospitality. 

“In March the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly approved a new anti-conversion law with extremely strict regulations,” says Representative Foley. “If a church or individual is found guilty of ‘mass conversions’—which the law defines as converting two or more people—the minimum punishment is ten years and a fine of 2,500,000 Indian Rupees (approximately 35,000,000 KRW), but life imprisonment and harsher fines may be given.”  

The law requires that individuals must give authorities a minimum of 60 days advance notice of their intention to convert to a different religion.  

“Since the passage of the law, local Christian leaders say that more than a thousand non-Christians have notified authorities that they are voluntarily attending church gatherings at their own risk, without coercion from Christians.” She says that level of interest in possible conversion is likely to attract the attention of Hindu nationalist groups, who sometimes disrupt church services and prayer meetings in order to protest against what they claim are forced or deceptive attempts to convert Hindus to Christianity.  

“That’s why the ‘For Christians only—enter at your own risk’ signs are going up at area churches,” says Representative Foley. “Christian leaders are hoping that the signs will protect their congregations from anti-conversion charges while not frightening away visitors.” 

Representative Foley says it is too early to tell how authorities—and possible church visitors—will respond to the warning signs. She notes that churches like the 116-year-old Sunderganj Mennonite Church, one of the oldest churches in the region, have posted the warning sign outside their door but not on their YouTube or social media pages. “The Sunderganj Mennonite Church posted a ‘one family in Christ’ message on Facebook for ‘Peace Sunday 2026’ at the end of September. Peace with their neighbors is what the churches in Dhamtari are clearly seeking, but that’s becoming increasingly difficult with Hindu nationalism on the rise,” says Representative Foley.