Tension erupted in Jabalpur on March 30, after activists from the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal stopped a passenger bus near Bhanwartal Park, alleging that the tribals onboard were being taken for religious conversion under the guise of a tour. The activists escorted the bus to the Ranjhi police station, where a heated confrontation ensued between them and law enforcement officers.
The bus was reportedly carrying around 50 people from Maharajpur in Mandla district. According to VHP members, these individuals were tribal residents who were being “covertly transported” for conversion to Christianity. As the activists reached the scene, the bus driver allegedly attempted to flee but was later caught near Ranjhi.
Police detained all the passengers and initiated questioning to verify the claims made by the activists.
Speaking to the media, a young woman onboard refuted the claims of forced conversion, stating that she and others had willingly come on the trip.
“We were on a pilgrimage, visiting different churches, when some men stopped our bus and took us to the police station. They accused us of being misled, but we came here on our own. We even paid Rs 500 each for the bus fare. The bus was simply taking us to the church, as we had planned ourselves,” she explained.
However, VHP activist Sanjay Tiwari countered these claims, arguing that if the passengers were indeed Christian, their identification documents should reflect their religious status.
“If these people are already Christians, then why do their ID cards list them as tribals? We received information about this at around 8:30 AM and rushed to the spot. There were two buses, but one managed to leave before we arrived,” Tiwari said.
As the situation escalated, two individuals who arrived at the police station to meet the detained passengers were reportedly assaulted by the activists. Bajrang Dal members accused them of attempting to “influence” the tribals and pressure them into converting. The altercation led to a scuffle within the police station, prompting officers to intervene.
Police officials tried to pacify the situation but faced stiff resistance from the activists, who insisted on stringent action against those involved in what they described as a “planned effort to convert tribals under religious pretexts.”
Despite the allegations, the police, after initial investigation, suggested that there was no concrete evidence of forced religious conversion.
Station in-charge Manas Dwivedi clarified that all the detained individuals were Christians from Maharajpur, Mandla, and were associated with local churches.
“These people had set out on a religious pilgrimage ahead of Easter. They were visiting different churches as part of their spiritual journey. Their route included stops at churches near Bhanwartal Garden, Ranjhi, and Sadar before returning home,” Dwivedi stated.
However, following the concerns raised by VHP and Bajrang Dal, police have launched an official inquiry. Authorities are also coordinating with teams in Mandla to verify further details regarding the passengers’ religious affiliations and the purpose of their journey.
One of the activists, Yogesh Agarwal, told Organiser that the passengers had Hindu names on their identity cards despite identifying themselves as Christians. He emphasised that all of them were tribals and were being taken to a church. According to Agarwal, the region has a long history of missionary-driven conversions. He added that the activists handed the bus over to the police, who are now expected to take appropriate action.
The incident has once again brought to light the ongoing debate over religious conversions in Madhya Pradesh, where multiple cases of alleged forced conversions have surfaced in the past. The state has stringent anti-conversion laws, making it mandatory for individuals to seek government permission before converting to another religion.
As tensions simmer, police continue to investigate the matter while ensuring that law and order is maintained in the region.
