RAIPUR: Singing carols in public on the eve of Christmas proved costly to all Christians who were booked by the Dhamtari police on Sunday under the prevention of Forceful Conversion Act. Their only sin was that while marching rally they were distributing Christian literatures to the passersby.

According to the information received, the Christian youths of Dhamtari marched a rally singing Christmas Carols in the slums of Dhamtari town and there they distributed copies of Christian literature (Susamachar) and sweets. As the members Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal and Dharmaraksha Manch got information they rushed there and caught all the 11 people.

Sources said, all the 11 people were at first roughed up and then they were brought to the Kotwali police station. Some B.J.P leaders with the members of Saffron brigade reached the Kotwali police station and demanded stern action against those indulged in “religious conversion”. Leaders like Dr.N.P. Gupta, Ravi Pandey, Bhupendra Mishra, Suresh Diwan, Shivnarayan Chhata alleged that they not only distributed literature and sweets but also gave money and offered jobs to them if they came to Hindu fold.

Police gave names of those arrested as Pastor of the Church of God James Ram, Rajendra Bhandari, David Pandey, Rekhu Dhruv, Sohan Nayak, Chetan Kumar; Santosh Yadav, Harish Vidhani, John Digar, Sundar Murari and Dilip Kumar.

The members of Hindu organisations also burnt the religious literatures of Christians, warning them not to indulge in conversion.

Deccan Herald: December 26,2006