Conversion of innocent Vanvasis still goes on despite many laws prohibiting it. But the conspirators, this time, landed behind the bars
Ratlam: The alertness of Railway Police Force (RPF) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) workers exposed an international conversion racket at the railway station of Ratlam, the Vanvasi-dominated district of Madhya Pradesh. A total of 60 minor children were saved from conversion.
According to reports, the RPF personnel noticed the movement of about 60 Vanvasi children by a train running from Meghnar tehsil of Jhabua to Ratlam in the night of May 21. They suspected it and informed the authorities at Ratlam Railway Station. As the train reached Ratlam, the children were deboarded at the station. This raised suspicion among VHP workers who were waiting for their train at the station. They informed the other VHP workers of the city, who rushed to the station without wasting the time. As the news spread, the mediapersons also reached the station.
When the mediapersons started
talking to the children and also their caretakers, the caretakers informed that the children were being taken to Nagpur, where they would be taught reading the Bible. During search, copies of the Bible were also found from the baggage of the children.
The incident took a significant turn when the mediapersons spoke to the caretakers. The statements of all the caretakers differed. The Railway Police also developed suspicion. They took all the children and the caretakers into custody and started investigation from conversion or/and human trafficking angle. However, the role of local police was not supportive as usual.
The children included 32 boys and 28 girls. All are between the age group of 10 and 12. The names of the children and caretakers were Hindu. Vijay Maida, one of the caretakers, disclosed that Father Hatesingh Godia from Jhabua told him to take the children to Nagpur. However, he did not disclose why the children were being taken to Nagpur. Another caretaker later informed that the children were being taken for a function to be organised by Mission India. Children from many other parts of the country were also to join the function.
Prima facie, the police investigation revealed that the incident was part of a pre-planned conversion attempt and exchange of money was involved in it. The police found details of Rs 90,000 payment and some gifts in the mobile phones. Following information from caretakers, 11 children were taken into custody in Indore. They were also being taken to Nagpur.
After investigation, the police have registered cases against nine persons in Ratlam and Indore. The court rejected their bail plea. The children were handed over to their parents the next day. The parents said the children were taken with the offer to provide them with new clothes and toys. The key person in the whole conspiracy is said to be Akalesh Ganay, who was arrested in Indore. A police team was dispatched to Nagpur for investigation. The information gathered by the police so far indicates to a complete case of conversion.
This incident shows that the conversion of Vanvasis still goes on despite various laws prohibiting the act. The conspirators move unpunished. The main problem with such incidents so far has been that whenever the attempts of conversion were exposed, the political leaders and officials protected them.
Following instructions from the top, the conspirators were released without any punishment. But this did not happen this time in Ratlam. The police worked without any pressure. That is why the conspirators are now behind the bars. n
