By Soumo Mondal
“Don’t we have the right to love Jesus in this country?” That was the question a Christian resident of Ghushipara, in Barrackpore’s Ward 24 in West Bengal asked, days after an alleged mob forced its way into the homes of Christians, disrupting the private prayer services and assaulting residents on 11 August.
For Father Paul Victor of the Barrackpore Assembly of Christ, the incident was almost beyond imagination.
“I have been here for 50 years and it is the first time I have witnessed this type of incident.”
The prayer meeting that evening was hardly the kind of gathering that would suggest an attempt at religious mobilisation. It was being held inside a Christian family’s home to remember a deceased person.
There was no microphone. No public programme. No large crowd. Yet, at around 7 pm, non-Christian local residents arrived at the neighbourhood and began accusing the Christians of conducting religious conversions.
Targeting Innocent Families
Recalling the attack, Father Paul said, “I was scared of getting attacked hence I rushed into my car and left.”
The prayer meeting was disrupted. The alleged mob then went to Christian homes in the neighbourhood. There are reportedly only around five Christian households in the area.
Residents allege that some were assaulted. A Christian ASHA worker was allegedly threatened about losing her job, while Christian toto (e-rickshaw) drivers were allegedly warned that they would no longer be allowed to work.
The incident was also livestreamed on Facebook, with the alleged attackers tagging Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Kaustav Bagchi.
This story was originally published in thequint.com. Read the full story here.