In continuation of the series of attacks against the Christian community in Bengal, the inauguration ceremony of a newly constructed church affiliated to the Church of North India (CNI) in Narayantala village of Basanti subdivision in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal was allegedly disrupted by a Hindutva mob of nearly 60 people, around 10:30 am on October 31.
A complaint was lodged by representatives of Bangiya Christiya Pariseba (BCP) at Basanti police station, and an FIR was registered. Speaking to Alt News, inspector in-charge of Basanti police station Prabir Ghosh said that police had identified around 14 accused and served notices on five of them. However, no arrests have been made yet.
A person who was present during the alleged attack told Alt News on condition of anonymity that the mob raised slogans of ‘Jai Sri Ram’, vandalised church property, and physically assaulted the Christian priests and worshippers attending the event. The ceremony was attended by Bishop Subrata Chakraborty of CNI Barrackpore, several priests, and a large number of devotees.
ALSO READ: Another attack on a Christian family in Bengal: Woman alleges mob assault, desecration of Bible
The eyewitness described the ordeal, stating that soon after the Bishop had inaugurated the church and the proceedings began, scores of young men with tilaks on their foreheads, barged into the premises while chanting ‘Jai Sri Ram’. They allegedly smashed the phones of anyone who attempted to film the attack.
The eyewitness claimed that the men initially ordered all Hindus present inside the church to leave. When they were told that everyone gathered there was Christian, the attackers allegedly turned their attention to the women, demanding that they remove their sindoor and shankha-pola (bangles worn by some married Bengali Hindu women), asking why they had converted to Christianity from Hinduism.
Further, the eyewitness alleged that pastors were beaten while the cross inside the church was taken down and stomped upon. A minor attendee, a member of the CNI church, was also allegedly assaulted for simply asking, “Amra Christian dharma palon korte parbo na?” (Are we not allowed to practise Christianity?)
The attackers also allegedly kicked an elderly attendee, vandalised musical instruments, broke chairs and manhandled women attendees, the survivor alleged, adding that the attackers eventually forced everyone out of the church. The Bishop, pastors, priests and worshippers were allegedly pushed out, bringing the inauguration ceremony to a violent and abrupt end.
Dispute Between Churches
Alt News learnt that a Baptist church is located just a few metres away from CNI-affiliated church in Narayantala. Members of the CNI alleged that the Baptist congregation had objected to the construction of the new church.
However, the pradhan of the area, belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), issued a no-objection certificate for the construction of the CNI, the eyewitness told Alt News. Subsequently, construction went on for approximately seven months. Even then, objections from the Baptist church allegedly persisted, particularly over the inauguration and regularisation of the church.
ALSO READ: Christian families in Bengal attacked, allege ‘rape and death’ threats by ‘Bajrang Dal’ members
According to the CNI members, the Baptist congregation had raised objections to some of its own members switching their affiliation to the CNI church. They allegedly insisted that those wishing to join the CNI congregation should first obtain transfer certificates from the Baptist church. The witness further explained that in an attempt to resolve the dispute, members of the two congregations held a meeting on October 28, during which they agreed upon certain terms and conditions.
Some members of the CNI congregation suspect that members of the Baptist church instigated the attack by provoking Hindutva groups, Alt News has learnt from locals.
Bishop Chakraborty told TOI, “… with the support of a few members of nearby Baptist churches, some extremists from the local Hindu Jagran Manch carried out the attack. They entered chanting ‘Jai Sri Ram’ and ordered Hindu women to leave the church…”
House Church Vandalised in Malda
In a separate incident the next day, November 1, a group of 12 saffron-clad men allegedly barged into a house church during a Sunday prayer gathering of around 40 people, in Gola More village in Harishchandrapur police station area of Malda.
Rishi Mishra, the host of the house church, told Alt News that the group vandalised the property, including instruments, tables, speakers. They accused the congregation of converting “vulnerable members of the Hindu community to Christianity by offering them incentives” and described the “conversions as being foreign-aided”.
“They threatened us to stop our prayers and asked us why we were converting to Christianity. They accused us of converting people to Christianity by offering incentives. They kept shouting and verbally abusing us,” Mishra alleged.
He claimed that when the worshippers attempted to reason with the Hindutva members, explaining that no one was being forced to convert, they were met with hostility. “I accepted Christianity a decade ago. There is no financial gain or other incentives behind it,” he said.
Mishra stated that two female police officers and civic volunteers accompanied the group. When the situation escalated, they called in additional support. Police interrogated the worshippers, taking down their names and fathers’ names. “They did ask us to continue our prayers, but when the vandalism was going on, they did not intervene”, Mishra said, adding that no official complaint was lodged by the worshippers.
As local media outlets visited the spot, several videos surfaced which showed saffron-clad men barging into the house church. Speaking to ANTV Bangla, a local Hindu man alleged that over 100 Hindu Scheduled Caste families lived in the locality and that around 40 of them had already converted to Christianity.
In a video posted by the outlet, a Vishva Hindu Parishad member can be heard denying that members of the Hindutva groups had vandalised the property. Instead, he accused the congregation members of damaging their own premises and making false allegations. In the video, however, a man identified as BJP leader Arjun Keshari can be seen vandalising the house.
Bajrang Dal, on the other hand, claimed that five of their members had been injured during the confrontation and were receiving treatment at Harishchandrapur Rural Hospital.
In the video, Rhitam Das, North Malda district coordinator of the Bajrang Dal and a VHP worker, alleged that financially vulnerable people were being persuaded to convert to Christianity through financial incentives allegedly provided by foreign sources. However, another video that surfaced on social media shows the same man, Das, can be seen in a group vandalising the property.
