Forced conversion of Hindus in Chhattisgarh : 7 Christians including 2 pastors arrested

Raipur – Hindu organisations have exposed a Christian conversion racket operating in two cities of Chhattisgarh that involved forced religious conversions of Hindus. The conversion attempts, carried out under the guise of prayer meetings, were foiled by Hindu groups in Raipur, the State Capital, as well as Balrampur. The Police have arrested seven Christians, including two pastors, in connection with the case. (Incidents of Christian missionaries converting poor Hindus through various enticements funded by foreign sources are frequently reported. However, the Government appears to have taken no concrete steps to address this issue. There is an urgent need to implement a nationwide anti-conversion law to curb such incidents – Editor)

1. Bajrang Dal and other Hindu organisations received information about forced conversions taking place in Mitan Vihar Colony. They informed the Police about the matter.

2. Raipur Deputy Commissioner of Police Lakhan Patel, along with Police teams, arrived at the scene and rescued ten individuals reportedly brought for conversion. Several members of the conversion racket were taken into custody.

3. A case was registered under Section 4 of the Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Act.

4. Hindu groups claimed that Christian conversions had been ongoing in the area for a long time. They accused pastors of luring vulnerable and poor Hindus under the pretext of prayer meetings.

5. In Sarut village of Balrampur District, another forced conversion incident was reported. Locals accused a pastor and his associates of coercing poor Hindus into conversion by offering monetary incentives. The matter was reported to the Police.

6. The Police raided the house where the conversions were taking place and arrested a pastor along with four others. Many Bible copies and Christian religious texts were seized.

7. Police have stated that investigations are underway in both cases. These incidents have once again highlighted the issue of religious conversions in Chhattisgarh. Over recent years, there have been numerous cases of missionaries enticing poor and tribal Hindus into conversion.

Editorial Perspective

Incidents of forced conversions by Christian groups targeting Hindus are rising across India. Strict action is necessary to curb these activities.