By Web Desk
Raipur: In a fresh incident of hate crime, Bajrang Dal activists attacked Christians again in Chhattisgarh. According to complainants, evangelists were attacked at the Shilo Prayer Tower in Durg, claiming religious conversion by Bajrang Dal workers led by Jyoti Sharma, who is notorious for her Hindutva vigilantism. The pastor here was beaten with an iron rod, and it was only after the police arrived that the Hindutva mob was removed from the spot, churchgoers said.
Meanwhile, Bajrang Dal leaders claimed that they arrived at the spot after receiving information that religious conversion was taking place. They also claimed that Hindutva workers, including women, who reached the spot to check, were attacked. The police said that an investigation into the complaints by the evangelists and Bajrang Dal activists is underway.
The arrest of two Malayali nuns in Chhattisgarh on alleged charges of religious conversion and human trafficking was a major controversy. Although the incident put the BJP on the defensive, similar attacks on Christians continued in Chhattisgarh.
After Chhattisgarh, Christian priests and nuns were also attacked in Odisha by Bajrang Dal activists on claims of religious conversion. It was only a few weeks ago that two priests and two nuns were attacked in Odisha.
The priests were identified as Jaleswar parish priest Fr. Lijo Nirappal and Joda parish priest Fr. V. Jojo, who had come to offer prayers on the second death anniversary of two Catholic believers.
The priests said that the attackers told them that the BJD rule was over and now it is the BJP rule, and that no one will be allowed to convert to Christianity. The police reached the spot after receiving information, but the attack continued even in their presence.
This story was originally published in madhyamamonline.com.