RAIGARH: Police on Sunday, January 19 detained three people from Bansdand village of Raigarh district after receiving complaint of promotion of illegal conversion. The arrested individuals were reportedly enticing people for conversion.
According to media reports, a Changai Sabha (a religious prayer ceremony organised by followers of Christian sect) was organised in the Bansdand village under Lailunga police station limits, where pastors from Odisha were also invited. The gathering was being attended by around 20 people.
Learning about the gathering, a section of the local villagers and Hindu activists from the area informed the police, alleging illegal conversion related activities in the said prayer ceremony.
The police upon receiving the information detained three people by arriving on the spot. Those detained by the police were identified as Pastor Lakshman Bhagat, Munna Keta and Ashok Keta. The matter is being investigated by the authorities.
It is noteworthy that incident linked with promotion of illegal conversion have been keep surfacing from from separate corners of the state often triggering protests from the locals and Hindu activists working against illegal conversion related activities.
Similar cases from Raigarh
Over half a dozen people were taken into custody after local activists informed the police about a religious gathering aimed allegedly at enticing people to change their religion in November last year.
As many as seven people including a few female members of a group were detained by the police after a major row erupted over a similar gathering in Mitthumuda area under Jutmal police station limits of Raigarh district.
It was then reported that a similar Changai Sabha was organized at a private premise in Mitthumuda where over a dozen people mostly women of the locality were invited.
Learning about the event, Hindu activists of the area informed the local authorities seeking an immediate intervention. A police team swiftly reached the spot and detained a number of individuals along seizing a few materials from the spot.
According to the reports, the speakers at the event were allegedly showcasing the Hindu god/goddess in bad light, terming them powerless while hailing the powers of god Jesus Christ at the same time.
In a similar case reported by Organiser from Raigarh itself, police had detained an individual from Darogapara area on October 14. The said individual was allegedly enticing the local residents for conversion when he was caught up red handed.
The detained person had also called a religious praying ceremony in Yadav Gali of the Darogapara area, however the news soon reached the local Hindu activists, who caught him red handed by arriving on the spot.
It is pertinent to mention here that the state of Chhattisgarh has been badly affected by the menace of illegal conversion since always, leading to conversion of a large chunk of people hailing from tribal community.
Speaking at a public gathering recently, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said that I always say this when it comes to conversion that when there was starvation in the state when it was part of Madhya Pradesh, people used to convert for the lower grade rice provided by the mission.
âToday when ration was provided at Rs one per kg conversion of people from tribal society has reduced. Now the Changai has become a tool for it,â added the Chief Minister.
