Madhya Pradesh: VHP and Bajrang Dal raid on Bhopal church

The Telegraph

July 27 , 2009

VHP raid on Bhopal church

OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

Bhopal, July 26: Bajrang Dal and VHP activists today stormed a church during Sunday service, saying people were being forcibly converted, before being persuaded to leave by police who didn’t book them.

The raid on Assemblies of God Church in the heart of Bhopal ended a lull in attacks on Christians in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh, which has seen over 100 such incidents during the party’s reign that began more than five years ago.

Bajrang Dal leaders claimed that missionaries at the church, in the Bittan Market area and only 100 metres from the Habibganj police station, were trying to “forcibly convert” two women.

But Kunti, one of the women at the centre of the allegation, denied the claim, saying she had only come for prayers. She said since most of her family members had converted to Christianity, she decided to start attending Sunday service.

Vinita, the other woman, also denied the allegation and accused the attackers, numbering around 20, of being ignorant of “customs”.

“They (Bajrang Dal-VHP) do not seem to know anything about customs and traditions. I usually come to the church for prayers on Sunday and will continue to do so. We have nothing to do with religious conversions,” Vinita said.

The Bajrang Dal, however, insisted a special ceremony had been organised for the conversion of the two, prompting an angry rebuttal from a senior church official.

Abraham George, the secretary of Assemblies of God Church, said: “They entered raising slogans that conversions were taking place in the church. It is clear they know nothing about Christianity and Sunday service. In BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh, we seem to have lost our right to religion.”