Hindutva activists retaliate against growing Christian Conversion Conspiracy in Dehradun.

Conversion conspiracy in Uttrakhand. ‘7 assaulted’, house vandalized. Hindutva activists stop Christian prayer meet in Dehradun.

An FIR has been filed. Police are yet to make any arrest, but investigation going on.  

Upendra Bharti | HENB | Dehradun | July 17, 2024:: As a high repercussion against growing Christian Conversion rackets in Uttrakhand, an attack on the prayer hall of a Christian family in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, has left them traumatized. On July 14, a group of Hindutva activists allegedly barged into the home of Deeksha Paul, where she was preparing for weekly prayers with her family, relative, and neighbours. The attackers assaulted at least seven people, vandalized the prayer room and bedroom, and made derogatory remarks against the Christian faith. They also accused the family of forced conversions. It has been alleged that Deeksha and her husband Rajesh Bhoomi, who is a pastor, both are connected with the Christian Conversion in ‘Devabhoomi’ Uttrakhand.

An FIR has been lodged against 11 accused individuals, including Devendra Dobhal, a former army man and RSS functionary. The charges include voluntarily causing hurt-Sec. 115(2), rioting-191(2), deliberately outraging religious feelings-299, destruction of property-324(4), trespass-333, threat-351 (2), and intentional insult-352 of Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita (BNS).

According to FIR, the  accused have been identified as Devendra Dobhal, Bijendra Thapa, Sadhir Thapa, Sanjeev Paul, Sudhir Paul, Dhirendra Dhobal, Arman Dhobal, Aryaman Dhobal, Anil Hindu, Bijendra alais Bobby, and Bhupesh Joshi.

Investigating Officer Satbir Singh confirmed that police have got allegations from the ‘victims’ that “no religious conversion was taking place at the house and that the Hindutva activists had misbehaved with the family and vandalized their property. A video of the incident showed men vandalizing a cross podium and musical equipment and engaging in assault”.

In the video, it was seen that Deeksha and her husband Rajesh established a big prayer hall like a church in their residential building and the Hindutva activists on rampage of the same alleging conversion of the poor Hindus by giving food grains and other facilities to them. In the video a woman was also spotted who came from Haridwar and she claimed as a hotel business partner of Rajesh.

The Hindutva activists fear that the conversion racket run by Deeksha and Rajesh may be engaged in the racket for supplying poor girls and women as tour escort and prostitution to some travel and hotel agencies.

The police authority could not be able to deny the allegation from various Hindu organisations that Christian Conversion rackets are growing in Uttarakhand in recent times. According to the Hindutva organisations, Uttrakhand is facing a challenge of demographic change in the spate of Islamic and Christian conversion.

On July 1, the Allahabad High Court has also passed an order expressing its concern over conversion and said, “If Religious Conversion is allowed, majority population of India would be in minority one day; Religious congregations for conversion should be immediately stopped.”

Deeksha’s husband, Rajesh Bhoomi, a pastor and owner of an eatery in Haridwar, stated that the attackers misbehaved with the children, slapping their heads and warning them not to participate in future Sunday prayers. Deeksha alleged that Devendra Dobhal led the group and claimed that they were accused of religious conversion without any discussion or evidence.

The family has been left shaken, with Deeksha’s daughter being just one year old and her son six years old. The incident has also affected the children of their tenants, who were present during the attack.

But many of the neighbours of Deeksha allege that she and her husband   are engaged with conversion and abuse Hindu deities and customs accordingly. Deeksha and her pastor husband convince the neighbouring Hindu families  not to worship Hindu gods and goddesses and not to wear the ‘mangal-sutra’ by women or sporting ‘tilak‘ or ‘sindoor’ by Hindus.

The RSS Dehradun unit and Devendra Dobhal have been contacted for comment, but no response has been received yet. The VHP head in Dehradun, Vikas Verma, acknowledged that some of the accused were members of Hindutva outfits and claimed that their actions were taken to curb rising cases of religious conversion in Uttarakhand.

However, Investigating Officer Satbir Singh emphasized that even if the family was involved in religious conversion, the police should have been approached instead of taking the law into their own hands. The police are yet to make any arrests and are investigating the matter. A chargesheet will be filed soon.”

But, the Hindu activists of various organisations alleged that the Uttarakhand police authority is not taking strict against the perpetrators connected with conversion racket  in order to showing mercy to them after taking bribe or other facilities. However, the Police have out-rightly rejected such allegations.
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__Agency Inputs.