Police discreetly profiling Christians in central Indian state
A controversial questionnaire seeking details of churches and other Christian institutions was leaked in the media Police in a central Indian state have been asked discreetly to collect information on Church institutions, an officer has admitted after the media leaked details of the questionnaire. An exercise to profile Church institutions is said to have been going on in the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled Madhya Pradesh state since the beginning of July. Indore city’s police commissioner, Makrand Deoskar, on July 15 confirmed that a questionnaire was sent out. But “it is an internal communication for the station house officers [SHOs] of local police stations and not for Church officials.” The questionnaire was “inadvertently shared with Church officials,” the city’s top cop explained. “It was withdrawn after opposition from the Christian community,” Deoskar claimed. The SHOs were reportedly asked to gather details such as the name of the missionary institution, its work and purpose, details of foreigners involved in mission work, and details of activities in the past three months. It also asked to collect the institution's bank details and see if the institution was involved in religious conversion or political activities such as helping people in agitation. It wanted to know if the institution was getting foreign funds. “Some of our churches and
Madhya Pradesh: Police issue notices to church office-bearers seeking religious conversion details, withdraw after objection
Police served notices to office-bearers of 40 churches in Madhya Pradesh's Indore city seeking details of religious conversion activities, but withdrew them after opposition by the Christian community and said they were issued "by mistake". The community members found "objectionable" the notices issued last week by different police stations in Indore to the office-bearers of around 40 churches and religious organisations, an office-bearer of one such outfit said. When asked about it, Indore Police Commissioner Makrand Deuskar told reporters on Saturday that the notices which reached the people were actually sent to the station house officers (SHOs) of all police stations in Indore. The SHOs sent them to members of the Christian community "by mistake", he said. Hence, the notices have been withdrawn after opposition by the community members, the official said. Suresh Kalton of the United Christian Forum on Sunday told PTI that there were "objectionable" questions in the notices on involvement in religious conversion activities. "There is a question in the notice asking the person to declare whether he or his organisation is involved in religious conversion. This act of the police is a violation of our constitutional rights," he claimed. “None of us is involved in such activities and we will go to the High
Madhya Pradesh: Police issue notices to church office-bearers seeking religious conversion details, withdraw after objection
Police served notices to office-bearers of 40 churches in Madhya Pradesh's Indore city seeking details of religious conversion activities, but withdrew them after opposition by the Christian community and said they were issued "by mistake". The community members found "objectionable" the notices issued last week by different police stations in Indore to the office-bearers of around 40 churches and religious organisations, an office-bearer of one such outfit said. When asked about it, Indore Police Commissioner Makrand Deuskar told reporters on Saturday that the notices which reached the people were actually sent to the station house officers (SHOs) of all police stations in Indore. The SHOs sent them to members of the Christian community "by mistake", he said. Hence, the notices have been withdrawn after opposition by the community members, the official said. Suresh Kalton of the United Christian Forum on Sunday told PTI that there were "objectionable" questions in the notices on involvement in religious conversion activities. "There is a question in the notice asking the person to declare whether he or his organisation is involved in religious conversion. This act of the police is a violation of our constitutional rights," he claimed. “None of us is involved in such activities and we will go to the
