Church Vandalisation: Who’s BJP District President Held By Chhattisgarh Police? ( The Quint )

How, two local leaders became the face of BJP's anti-conversion movement in Narayanpur, Chhattisgarh?

BJP’s Narayanpur district president Roop Sai Salam (right) was recently arrested in connection to the anti-Christian violence which broke out in Narayanpur, Chhattisgarh.
(Photo: Vishnukant Tiwari/The Quint)

A day after an anti-Christian rally led to violence in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district, including vandalisation of a church, the state police arrested five people, including Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) district president Roop Sai Salam.

Salam, along with other right-wing leaders including former BJP district president of Narayanpur, Narayan Markam, had called for a rally against religious conversion on 2 January, Monday. As violence broke out, a church on the premises of a school was desecrated – and statues of Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ damaged.

The mob had also attacked the police force who tried to quell the violence, leading to Narayanpur Superintendent of Police Sadanand Kumar sustaining head injuries.

According to a press note issued by the police on Monday, Roop Sai Salam, Narayan Markam, and 2,000 others had gathered to ‘discuss social issues’ that same day.

Who Are Roop Sai Salam and Narayan Markam, Accused of Inciting Violence in Chhattisgarh?

Roop Sai Salam is the current district president of the BJP in Narayanpur, while Narayan Markam is the former district president. However, sources say that their roles is much bigger than that.

Both Salam and Markam are said to have close ties and unfettered support of the BJP – and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) – and were promoted as poster boys in their drive against religious conversion in Narayanpur.
This story was originally published in thequint.com . Read the full story here

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