Pro-Hindu organisations throw stones at Catholic school in Vidisha Madhya Pradesh over conversion of Hindu students

4 persons in Police custody

School denied the allegation of conversion

Editorial Comment

The BJP Government in Madhya Pradesh should investigate this matter and bring forth the truth.

Vidisha (MP) – Activists of Bajrang Dal and Vishva Hindu Parishad pelted stones at St. Joseph’s Catholic School in Ganj Basoda, Vidisha, alleging that Hindu students were being converted. The Police investigation is on and 4 persons are taken into Police custody for vandalism. This school was established 11 years ago and is run by the Bhopal-based Malabar Missionary Society. The school has about 1,500 students, and most of them are Hindus.

On 6th December, around 600 people gathered in front of the school and started protesting. At that time, the 12th-grade examination was going on in the school. Soon the mob turned aggressive and started vandalising.

Members of Hindu right-wing organisations attacked a Catholic school in Ganjbasoda, India, over claims about the religious conversion of eight students, a charge denied by the school pic.twitter.com/wVRKaD953D

— TRT World (@trtworld) December 7, 2021

Headmaster Brother Anthony Tynumkal said the mob had stones and iron rods. They shouted slogans of ‘Jai Shriram’ and pelted stones on the school property. We had requested Police protection, however, Police assured us that they will shout a few slogans and peacefully protest and leave. Police arrived only after the mob left the school premises.

Denying the allegations of Brother Anthony, Sub-Divisional Police Officer for Ganj Basoda Tehsil, Bharat Bhushan said, “It was meant to be a peaceful protest. A few miscreants used the opportunity and pelted stones at the glass cover on the school building and damaged it. There was prompt action, and the school authorities were given protection and already four members of the Bajrang Dal are taken into custody.

The school converted 8 Hindu children

Nilesh Agarwal of Vishva Hindu Parishad led the protest. He said that as per a media report, eight Hindu girls had been converted at the school on 31st October. He said Priyank Kanoongo, Chairman of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights had also written the Vidisha Collector over the issue.