Kawardha: A major row erupted in Kawardha/Kabirdham district of Chhattisgarh after local Hindu activists claimed to bust a conversion racket being operated from a house under Kotwali Thana limits on May 18.
According to media reports, local Hindu activists gathered near a house located at Aadarsh Nagar colony, staging a major protest against a gathering called by a pastor and his wife aimed allegedly at illegal conversion.
The activists claimed that the couple has been long indulged in deceiving people in guise of providing them with miraculous treatment. They further have alleged the couple for luring people into conversion via inducement tactics and other illegal means.
Following information of a similar gathering at the Pastor’s house on Sunday, the activists launched a major protest at the site by staging a sit-in. The protest by the activist soon led to a heated exchange between the two groups.
We have received information that people have been called for a Changai Sabha (A kind of religious gathering prevalent among the people belonging to the Christian community) at this place. When we enquired with the people gathered here they informed that they are Hindus and have arrived here for a prayer. They claim this to be a Church, though they lack valid documents, said an activists.
The activists further raised suspicion that the place is being used to gather people from nearby villages for Chnagai Sabha aimed at conversion. They also demanded that the authorities should thoroughly investigate the CCTV footages of the place.
Report suggests that around 20-25 people were called for a closed door meeting at Pastor’s house on Sunday, the news of which agitated the locals. According to locals, people from nearby villages were often called at the said place and close door meetings were organised. They also complained about strange sound emerging out from the site of the meeting.
Learning about the incident a police team too reached the spot and took control of the situation by interacting with both the groups.
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A purported video of the heated confrontation between the Hindu activists and those gathered at Pastor’s house for the meeting has also surfaced on social media platforms in which the police personnel could be seen calming the agitated activists. The matter is being investigated further by the authorities.
“We received a complaint about illegal conversion being carried out in the said premise, a police team immediately reached the spot and the matter is being investigated further,” said an official.
Conversion through means of lure, providing cure from illness
Significantly, cases pertaining to illegal conversion through means of inducement have been keep coming to the fore from separate corners of the state, often prompting protest from the local Hindu activists.
Activists alleged that people associated with promoting illegal conversion often target sick individuals and people from weaker economic background, promising them free cure and various inducement ranging from jobs to free education for children.
Such activities are often being carried out in the guise of Prarthana or the Changai Sabha organised at separate places.
It must be noted here that the tribal dominated pockets of the state such as in the Surguja and the Bastar division have been long long affected by the menace of illegal conversion. It is being reported that rampant conversion in such pockets by missionaries has also led to a significant change in demography at various pockets.
Conversion related activities and its opposition by locals Hindus in such pockets have also resulted in violent confrontation between the two sides in recent years, signifying the growing uneasiness among the locals over attempts of illegal conversion .
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