RAIPUR: The BJP-ruled government in Chhattisgarh faced tough questions from its own legislators during the ongoing budget session of the House over alleged religious conversions happening in the state. BJP MLAs claimed several incidents of conversions have been reported in the state and the situation remains more serious in Bastar division.
The BJP had often raised the issue of ‘religious conversions’ during the previous Congress regime and now their MLAs asserted such “prohibited practice” exists and is even happening in some of their respective constituencies.
“The CM had earlier cited on foreign funds being misused for religious conversions. When the demography changes (owing to religious conversions), the situation will turn worrisome for Chhattisgarh if the strict rules to prevent religious conversions are not genuinely made and executed”, said Ajay Chandrakar, senior BJP MLA.
Another BJP leader Sushant Shukla pointed out that the state home minister has no information about the activities of Joshua project operating in the state. Shukla claimed such a project is coordinating the affair of religious conversions and change of faith in association with the missionary organisations while the administration remains non-serious on it.
The state home minister Vijay Sharma said that the actions against religious conversions were being taken in accordance with the provisions of the old existing rules. “The state government remains concerned and aware. Soon we will bring tougher anti-conversion laws and frame new regulations to check such unlawful activities”, Sharma affirmed.
“In Chhattisgarh 364 organisations were earlier registered under the Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Act. As of today, there are 153 NGOs presently getting the foreign funds and engaged in different works in the state. The administration and other agencies are monitoring”, the home minister said.
Christian forum in Chhattisgarh expressing resentment stated that the community is being targeted and maligned though not a single conversion forcefully or by fraudulent means reported or proven in any court.
“We are soon moving our plea in the Supreme Court seeking the definition on what exactly the ‘dharmantran’ (religious conversion) implies. There should be some guidelines issued by the apex court to suggest at what stage the government’s interference should begin on alleged ‘dharmantran’ so that administration and police get some direction on such a vexed issue. Is merely purchasing or reading a bible or attending a church enough to be implicated with religious conversions?”, averred Arun Pannalal, president of the Chhattisgarh Christian Forum.
The opposition Congress maintained that propagating one's faith or religion is not a crime and is guaranteed under the Constitution provided it is not influenced by any allurement, temptation or coercion.