Christians refute ‘conversion’ allegation by Indian politician

Christian leaders have termed as “baseless” the allegation of religious conversions made against missionaries by the chief minister of a central Indian state.

Vishnu Deo Sai, the new chief minister of Chhattisgarh state, accused Christian missionaries of converting poor people through their charitable works in the education and health sectors.

Sai, an indigenous tribal leader assumed the post in December 2023 after his pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party won the assembly elections held on Nov. 17.While addressing a gathering in the state capital Raipur on Jan. 28, Sai made a scathing attack on Christians.

“Missionaries are in dominance; they are a dominant force in education and healthcare, and their ramifications are that they promote conversion under the pretext of providing health and education facilities,” Sai said as reported by the Organiser, a mouthpiece of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), an umbrella forum of pro-Hindu groups.

“It [conversions] will be stopped,” the magazine further quoted Sai.

Father Sebastian Poomattam, vicar-general of the Raipur archdiocese in the state capital, said the chief minister’s reported statement is “totally baseless.”

“It is not expected of a person holding such an important constitutional office to make allegations against a religious minority community without checking the real facts,” he told UCA News on Jan. 31.

The priest said there is no denying the fact that Christian missionaries tirelessly work among the poor tribal people to provide them with education and healthcare. “But that does not mean we are converting them. The allegation is absurd and disappointing,” he added.

Poomattam said Sai himself has studied in a missionary school and continues to practice his religion.He urged the chief minister to introspect whether there is truth in the allegation he leveled against Christian missionaries on a public platform.

Chhattisgarh has seen a surge in violence against Christians after the pro-Hindu party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in India in 2014.

In November 2022, over 450 churchgoers from 16 villages in Narayanpur and Kondagaon districts fled their houses following large-scale violence and a social boycott of the community.

According to a report by the United Christian Forum, an ecumenical forum that tracks prosecution against Christians in India, Chhattisgarh reported the highest number of attacks on churches and Christians after Uttar Pradesh state in 2022 though Christians make up a mere 2 percent of its population.

The priest said there is no denying the fact that Christian missionaries tirelessly work among the poor tribal people to provide them with education and healthcare. “But that does not mean we are converting them. The allegation is absurd and disappointing,” he added.Poomattam said Sai himself has studied in a missionary school and continues to practice his religion.

He urged the chief minister to introspect whether there is truth in the allegation he leveled against Christian missionaries on a public platform.

Chhattisgarh has seen a surge in violence against Christians after the pro-Hindu party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in India in 2014.

In November 2022, over 450 churchgoers from 16 villages in Narayanpur and Kondagaon districts fled their houses following large-scale violence and a social boycott of the community.

According to a report by the United Christian Forum, an ecumenical forum that tracks prosecution against Christians in India, Chhattisgarh reported the highest number of attacks on churches and Christians after Uttar Pradesh state in 2022 though Christians make up a mere 2 percent of its population.

This article is originally published on https://www.ucanews.com/news/christians-refute-conversion-allegation-by-indian-politician/104007