Amid the Karnataka government’s resolve to introduce an anti-conversion law and the Christian community writing to the Chief Minister against it, a video surfaced on social media platforms purportedly showing members of the Bajrang Dal barging into a prayer hall and stopping a service mid way in Hassan district Sunday.
The video also shows Bajrang Dal members forcing people out of the prayer hall in Belur and a few women from the Christian community engaged in a verbal duel with the members of Bajrang Dal.
Belur police officials confirmed the incident to The Indian Express and said no complaint has been filed by either side.
Bajarang Dal members barge into a Prayer Hall in Hassan district of #Karnataka, allege Conversion. Visuals of alleged incident shows the activists stopping the prayer and asking the people to step out of the prayer hall. @IndianExpress pic.twitter.com/GNtpTNqHzn
— Darshan Devaiah B P (@DarshanDevaiahB) November 29, 2021
“The incident happened Sunday. We reached the spot and warned both sides,” said inspector K M Yogesh inspector.
The Karnataka government is likely to introduce the Anti-Conversion Bill in the next legislature session in Belagavi beginning from December 13.
Meanwhile, Bengaluru Archbishop Reverend Peter had written to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai opposing the proposed bill. So far, three times such a memorandum has been submitted to the Chief Minister since September this year, saying the Christian community in the state opposes the proposed law to ban forcible religious conversions in one voice.
In October this year, members of the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad sang bhajans inside a makeshift church in Hubballi in Karnataka. A video of the purported incident circulated on social media showed members of Right-wing groups chanting bhajans with folded hands inside the church in Hubballi.
This story first appeared on indianexpress.com