A row has erupted after an old video of a Congress Party Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the Bilaigarh constituency of Chhattisgarh emerged in which the Congress MLA can be seen seeking blessing from controversial pastor Bajinder Singh.
In the viral video that has been turning heads, the Congress Party’s MLA from Bilaigarh, Kavita Pran Lahre can be seen praising the pastors for blessing her and assisting her in becoming a people’s representative in the State Assembly election that was held last year.
In the video, the Congress MLA can be seen touching the feet of controversial pastor Bajinder Singh who has been accused of being involved in many criminal offences, including rape, loot and conversion, the Congress lawmaker can also be heard explaining that it was only with the blessing of the said pastor that she was able to achieve such a fate in her life.
“When I came in contact with pastor Bajinder Singh, I was only a daughter of a poor family who had nothing, not even a vehicle or a house. He held a special prayer for me and assured me that Christ is going to bless you with a post of MLA in the year 2023. When I walked back from there, every obstacle started to fade away, and here today I have returned as an MLA, said Lahre in the viral video.
Further, in the video, pastor Bajinder Singh can also be heard claiming that anyone could achieve similar feet as Lahre if he or she kept believing in Christ, “If Christ can assist Lahre, then he could also uplift you for sure, it’s a testimony that I shared with you, all you need to do is control yourself and not get sold into the hands of Devil.”
ये है बिलाईगढ़ की विधायक कविता प्राण लहरे…एक समुदाय ने इनका ही माइंड वॉश कर दिया…कह रही पप्पा ने मेरा सब कुछ किया है…5 साल के शासनकाल में कांग्रेस की सरकार ने एक समुदाय और धर्मांतरण को इतना बढ़ावा दिया ये उसका साक्षात उदाहरण है।
ऐसी कृत्यों की कड़ी भर्त्सना करनी चाहिए।… pic.twitter.com/2HNcrlAdf7
— BJP Chhattisgarh (@BJP4CGState) February 25, 2024
Meanwhile, after the video went viral, many senior leaders of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) have alleged that the statement made by the Congress MLA is nothing but a raw attempt to promote conversion. Sharing his views on the said video of Lahre, senior BJP leader from Raipur, Kedarnath Gupta said that the Congress Party always promotes and protects conversion and appeasement, the statement made by the Congress legislature in a public gathering is a testimony to that.
National Security Act was invoked against our Narayanpur unit president, and he was put behind bars when he tried opposing the attempts of conversion in the Bhupesh baghel led Congress government, there were instances of communal scuffle between the communities over cremation practices in Bastar, even the then Superintendent of Police (SP) Sukma wrote a letter citing possible law and order situation due to wide scale conversions but Bhupesh baghel did not open his eyes, said Gupta further.
Conversion is the reason why the Kukis and Mathei groups are fighting in Manipur, if a Hindu was not able to do business in Srinagar it was only due to conversion, it was the only basis on which our country was divided, it’s a bite and the BJP will continue to fight against it. We respect all religion including Islam and Christinity, though if conversion takes place by force or inducement, then BJP will not let it happen, added Gupta.
Meanwhile, reacting to the allegation of the BJP, Kavita Lahre, while confessing that the video is of a gathering in Jalandhar where she participated after winning the elections, said “I would like to thank the BJP for putting up the video, though I would like to know why the BJP people don’t viral the videos of my visits to the temple.”
The controversy further also triggered sharp reactions from senior BJP leader Prabal Pratap Judev who has been a staunch opponent of illegal conversion of tribals and has been organising Ghar Wapsi programme to welcome those who wish to make a comeback in the Sanatan fold from Christianity since long.
Taking to the X, the BJP stalwart from Jaspur while slamming the Congress legislature conduct said “She has forgotten the favors of the public and her ancestors. Brokers have amazing powers. This is Crypto Christianity (Practicing Christianity in secrecy).
ये हैं बिलाईगढ़ की कांग्रेस की विधायक एवं ईसाइयत की प्रचारिका कविता प्राण लहरे। इनका मानना है ये जो धर्मांतरण के दलाल हैं इनके ही आशीर्वाद से ये विधायक बनी हैं। जनता और अपने पूर्वजों के एहसान को भूल बैठीं हैं। गजब की ताकत है दलालों में। ये है #क्रिप्टो_क्रिस्टियानिटी।… pic.twitter.com/zTvAEvWAAs
— Prabal Pratap Singh Judev (@prabaljudevBJP) February 25, 2024
Who is Pastor Bajinder Singh?
A controversial pastor from Punjab Bajinder Singh enjoys a significant popularity on social media and claims to treat and bless people with his alleged miracles and healing techniques. Singh have made headlines at a number of times for all the wrong reasons, he was arrested by the authorities from Delhi airport in 2018 when he was trying to board the flight to London in connection with a rape case filed against him by one of his followers.
Singh has also been accused of looting money from a family of Delhi in the year 2022. According to the reports, the family was given an assurance by Singh that he would treat their daughter who was suffering from cancer. It has been alleged that the pastor also get the family members converted to Christianity; however, things started to fall out after the said girl passed away due to her illness.
It is pertinent to mention here that the tribal heartland of Chhattisgarh has been buzzing with reports of illegal conversion and communal flare-ups between the communities over issues pertaining to illegal conversion from separate corners of the State over the years. The issue of illegal conversion through means of inducement was also at forefront in the State assembly election where the then opposition BJP had promised to enact a stringent law against conversion if voted to power.
Recently, the Chhattisgarh State government has also announced that it will introduce an anti-conversion law or may introduce amendments to the existing law to deal with the long pending issue of illegal conversion in the ongoing session of the State assembly,
The announcement was made by the State minister for Culture, School and Higher Education, Parliamentary affairs, Tourism and Religious Trust and Endowments, Brijmohan Agarwal in assembly on February 14.
