Residents of Bandhu Tola of Makka Kumbha village of Hazaribagh district have alleged that a youth was instigating illegal conversion through means of lure, healthcare and fallacy. According to the details, a youth identified as Anuj Besra, a resident of Belgaddha Jhumri, was kept in captivity by residents of Bandhu Tola under tribal (Vanvasi/Janjati) dominated Daru block to promote conversion among the villagers.
The incident came to light on Saturday morning, October 13, when a police team reached the spot and sorted out the dispute between the villagers and the youth. According to the locals, Anuj often visits the village and has lured a number of families into conversion in the past as well. It’s been learnt that while visiting the village this time around, Anuj lured as many as ten members of a family to convert, though the news soon reached other villagers.
Anguished by his conduct the villagers took him under their custody on Friday evening and only set him free when the former assured them not to repeat his mistakes in a village meet-up on Saturday. It’s been reported that during the meeting held on the Saturday morning a number of families who had earlier converted to Christianity have also vowed to return to their bonafide religion following which the villagers allowed the missionary youth to walk free.
However, contrary to the claims of villagers the police said that the youth had come to visit his aunt’s place and nothing pertaining to conversion promoted by him had come to light. It’s been reported that after the settlement between the villagers and the missionary youth, the police chose not to register any case into the matter.
Speaking to media, one of the villagers said that the youth who has been held on Friday night is a missionary who is working against our existence. We appeal to the government and other activists to save our religion and to take action against such people. The villagers also alleged the missionary youth for running a whatsapp group to promote conversion activities in Bandhu Tola and adjoining areas.
हजारीबाग में धर्मांतरण की कोशिश नाकाम। गांववालों ने धर्म प्रचारक को बनाया बंधक। pic.twitter.com/Bn0Ni5VAO6
— News18 Jharkhand (@News18Jharkhand) October 15, 2023
Fifty converted Christians vow to return to Sanatan Dharma
In the meeting held on Saturday morning, around 50 people belonging to 6-8 families also vowed to return to their bonafide religion and assured the residents to not repeat the mistake in future. It’s been learnt that these people were cunningly lured to Christianity after missionaries assured them that embracing Christianity will cure them from diseases like malaria and typhoid.
It is to be noted that similar tactics have been widely used and propagated by the missionaries to promote conversion in remote regions dominated by tribals and other marginalized sections across several states.
Similar attempts for conversion were made in past
Notably, Daru block of Hazaribagh has witnessed similar incidents of promotion of illegal conversion by the missionaries in the past as well. Earlier in a similar case reported from Irga panchayat of the region, an altercation was reported between the missionaries and a few locals over illegal conversion in June this year.
It was then reported that those who have already converted were instigating the others to follow the path which resulted in a confrontation between the groups. Though Hazaribagh is not the only place from where such activities have been reported and similar incidents have also come to the fore from different regions of the Vanvasi dominated state.
Earlier in a similar case reported by the Organiser from Garhwa district of Jharkhand the locals have alleged as many as 14 people affiliated to a Christian mission for promoting illegal conversion in Tandawa colony.
(Read the full report here)
It was then reported that a number of people affiliated with the A. P.S welfare society were instigating the local residents for conversion. Shockingly one of the men who was part of the group was found to be a Jawan of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
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