A view of the church, which was demolished, in Narayanpur, Chhattisgarh on January 2, 2023. Photo: Special Arrangement
The Chhattisgarh police have arrested at least 11 people – including current and former district presidents of the BJP – in separate cases, violent incidents Regarding the alleged conversion in Narayanpur earlier this week.
Among them, BJP leaders Rupse Salam (55) and Narayan Markam (50) have been arrested in connection with Monday’s incident in which Narayanpur Superintendent of Police (SP) Sadanand Kumar was injured and a church vandalized . Sources said Mr Salam took charge as the BJP district president in October and since then, the duo has led several campaigns against Christian missionaries in the villages of Narayanpur. This period has also come with several violent incidents in the state over the sensitive issue of religious conversions.
Bastar Inspector General of Police (IGP) P. Sundarraj said the two and four others were arrested because they called the meeting which was attended by 2,000 people, and later joined smaller processions, and such A group attacked the church. On linking the latest incident to previous incidents of attacks on Christians or other conflicts, Mr Sundarraj said that, at present, the focus was on two incidents – one in Gorra village where two groups clashed on Sunday, and The attack on the church in which SP Kumar was injured a day later.
Brijmohan Dewangan, another former BJP district president of Narayanpur, said Mr. Salam, in his late fifties, has been with the BJP since 1985, while Markam, a few years younger than him, joined the party in 2002. He said that Mr. Salam had last held the post in 2012, but apart from being the patron of Sarva Adivasi Samaj, had also handled other responsibilities in the party. The Sarva Adivasi Samaj is a group that claims to represent the tribals of the Bastar region, but is divided into several factions, which often leads to confusion. A section had distanced itself from the group following the attack on the church on Monday.
rising tension
Coming to the unfolding of incidents in Bastar region, the recent incidents have created a stir across the state, BJP is now targeting Congress on the issue of religious conversion. The issue rocked the state assembly during the ongoing winter session, even as sources claimed that religious conversion would be a focal point for the BJP in the elections due later this year. The arrest of the Salam-Markam duo has led to a more aggressive backlash against the Bhupesh Baghel-led government face to face conversion.
Former state minister and senior BJP leader Ajay Chandrakar said in reference to the arrests of party leaders, “This government rolls out the red carpet for missionaries and imposes non-bailable sections on those who try to protect tribal culture.” “More than 60 complaints [on purported religious conversions or violence over it] Have registered in Narayanpur in three months but no action has been taken. The Baghel government is receiving donations from Christian missionaries and its attack on those opposing it is not on the BJP, but on the civilization and culture of the tribals.
While a group of senior BJP leaders has already made an unsuccessful attempt to enter Narayanpur on Tuesday [the police did not let them in, citing security reasons]Mr. Dewangan said that, at the local level, the party would organize more protests for Salam’s release. “It is true that he has been vocal against the missionaries, but he has not indulged in violence,” he claimed.
Meanwhile, the situation remained tense even as the police and district administration called a peace meeting on Wednesday and asked all sides to exercise restraint.
‘Christian Free State’
The Chhattisgarh Christian Forum on Wednesday alleged that a campaign was being carried out in tribal villages to create a “Christian free state”. The Forum said in a statement, “Villages are being cleared of Christians with the help of drums and sticks. Here, the Chief Minister is discussing the issue, and in village Bandapal Narayanpur, a church is being demolished, ten Families of Christians have been looted and their houses have been razed. Article 25 gives people the freedom to practice any religion, the government is preventing people from following the Constitution.”