Members of the Hindu Jagaran Manch (HJM) allegedly attacked the farm
of a Christian man in Alirajpur district on Sunday and accused him of
converting Hindus to Christianity.
The activists disrupted a prayer meeting being held at the farm and
abused and heckled the Christian man, identified only as Emmanuel. No
one was injured in the incident.
The farm is located at Jobat, around two kilometres from Alirajpur city. Alirajpur is around 180 km west of Indore.
According to residents of Jobat, a large number of tribal people
gather at Emmanuel’s home every Sunday for a prayer meeting and for
getting massage oil for joint pains. Most of those who come to
Emmanuel's house are Hindu tribal people.
The HJM activists alleged that Emmanuel was converting Hindus in the
name of serving the poor. The activists filed an application at Jobat
police station, demanding an inquiry.
Akhilesh Jha, the superintendent of police of Alirajpur, said he was
aware of the incident and that the matter was being investigated.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently broke his silence on the
growing intolerance of Hindu groups linked to the Sangh Parivar, saying
his government would uphold freedom of faith and crack down on elements
who incite sectarian tensions.
The incident in Alirajpur occurred even as Christian clerics
announced in Bhopal that the community will hold special prayers for
three days from March 4 at 100 places across the country for an end to
"attacks" on churches and the "hate campaign" against the minority.
"We are going to pray in churches for three days from March 4 to 6,"
said FJ Valsalen, pastor of Jabalpur-based English Methodist Church. In
Madhya Pradesh, the prayers will be held at Indore, Jabalpur, Ujjain,
Damoh, Gwalior and Bhopal.
"We are passing through a turbulent time...Our churches are being
attacked and false cases are being slapped on our ministers and a smear
campaign to defame us is being run. Forcible campaign ‘ghar wapsi’
(conversion to Hinduism by right wing groups) is underway to torment
us," a cleric alleged.
The Rashtriya Isai Mahasabha (RIM) also handed over a memorandum to
external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and demanded an end to attacks
on Christians.
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