Madhya Pradesh: Luring Hindus with money and miracles, Raisen police arrest husband-wife duo for illegal conversions; read what the FIR says
On the intervening night of 26th and 27th January, Raisen police in Madhya Pradesh raided a house and detained a husband-wife duo for coercing Hindus to convert to Christianity. Police were called by activists of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) after they received a tip-off about a late-night prayer meeting happening at a house in Mandideep, which falls under the Satlapur Industrial Area police station. According to the complainant in the matter, Hindus were being coerced to convert using inducement, pressure and monetary benefits. OpIndia accessed the FIR registered in the case. A video by Hindu activist Prince Pathak exposing the conversion racket has since gone viral on social media. Background of the case The incident took place in Ward No 15, Mandideep, which comes under the Satlapur Industrial Area. A Christian prayer meeting was being held at the residence of Jam Singh Kanas at around 10 pm on 26th January. Activists of the Vishva Hindu Parishad reached the spot after receiving information about the gathering and staged a protest at the site. They said that Hindus were being targeted for religious conversion through inducements. According to VHP activists, Hindus attending the meeting were promised money and so-called miraculous cures. A young man present at the spot said that he was offered Rs 1 lakh to convert and was assured that his illness would be cured. The accused were promising that converting to Christianity would solve issues including broken bones and complications in childbirth. Police intervention and seizure of religious material After receiving the complaint, Satlapur police reached the location and brought the situation under control. Those present at the prayer meeting were questioned. The organiser, Jam Singh Kanas, was taken to the police station for questioning. Additional police force was deployed considering the tense atmosphere. Speaking to the media, VHP activists said that religious books were recovered from the spot, which were seized by the police. Speaking to the media, VHP’s Bhojpur district minister Surendra Keer confirmed the seizure of the material. OpIndia spoke to Keer for more details in the matter. Speaking to OpIndia, Keer said that they had been receiving information about the conversion events being organised by the couple. Last year, the couple’s own son stood firmly against the conversions, after which the events were halted for some time. However, they restarted the conversions recently. When VHP activists reached the spot, they found several Hindus attending the meeting. While some had come for the first time, others were added to groups to coerce them to convert to Christianity. One of the Hindu youths present at the spot informed Keer that he was offered Rs 1 lakh if he converted to Christianity. Keer confirmed that all three accused mentioned in the FIR were arrested by the police and have been sent to judicial custody. Video by Hindu activist goes viral Hindu activists from other organisations were also present, raising objections over the conversion racket. One of the Hindu activists, Prince Pathak, shared a video on social media exposing the racket, which has gone viral. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Prince Pathak (@prince_pathak_gauputra_) What the FIR says The FIR was registered at Satlapur police station on the complaint of Anil Solanki, a resident of Mandideep, under Sections 3 and 5 of the Madhya Pradesh Religious Freedom Act, 2021, against the accused Jam Singh Kanas, his wife Sundar Bai Kanas, and one unidentified person. Source: Madhya Pradesh Police Source: Madhya Pradesh Police According to the complainant, on the night of 26th January, his uncle Jam Singh Kanas took him to his house in Satlapur. Jam Singh’s wife Sundar Bai Kanas and another unidentified person were present. The three pressured him to convert to Christianity and promised him Rs 1 lakh in return. They promised to pay Rs 25,000 as the first instalment, with the remaining amount to be paid later. The complainant further stated that he was asked to participate in prayers and read the Bible and was pressured to change his religion against his will. Feeling uncomfortable, he left the house and later informed his friends, including Prince Pathak, Brajesh Prajapati, Vivek Vishwakarma, Shubham Kevat, Kamlesh Rai and Rohit Chouksey, after which he approached the police station to lodge a complaint. Further investigation in the matter is underway.
On the intervening night of 26th and 27th January, Raisen police in Madhya Pradesh raided a house and detained a husband-wife duo for coercing Hindus to convert to Christianity. Police were called by activists of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) after they received a tip-off about a late-night prayer meeting happening at a house in Mandideep, which falls under the Satlapur Industrial Area police station.
According to the complainant in the matter, Hindus were being coerced to convert using inducement, pressure and monetary benefits. OpIndia accessed the FIR registered in the case. A video by Hindu activist Prince Pathak exposing the conversion racket has since gone viral on social media.
Background of the case
The incident took place in Ward No 15, Mandideep, which comes under the Satlapur Industrial Area. A Christian prayer meeting was being held at the residence of Jam Singh Kanas at around 10 pm on 26th January. Activists of the Vishva Hindu Parishad reached the spot after receiving information about the gathering and staged a protest at the site. They said that Hindus were being targeted for religious conversion through inducements.
According to VHP activists, Hindus attending the meeting were promised money and so-called miraculous cures. A young man present at the spot said that he was offered Rs 1 lakh to convert and was assured that his illness would be cured. The accused were promising that converting to Christianity would solve issues including broken bones and complications in childbirth.
Police intervention and seizure of religious material
After receiving the complaint, Satlapur police reached the location and brought the situation under control. Those present at the prayer meeting were questioned. The organiser, Jam Singh Kanas, was taken to the police station for questioning. Additional police force was deployed considering the tense atmosphere.
Speaking to the media, VHP activists said that religious books were recovered from the spot, which were seized by the police. Speaking to the media, VHP’s Bhojpur district minister Surendra Keer confirmed the seizure of the material. OpIndia spoke to Keer for more details in the matter.
Speaking to OpIndia, Keer said that they had been receiving information about the conversion events being organised by the couple. Last year, the couple’s own son stood firmly against the conversions, after which the events were halted for some time. However, they restarted the conversions recently.
When VHP activists reached the spot, they found several Hindus attending the meeting. While some had come for the first time, others were added to groups to coerce them to convert to Christianity. One of the Hindu youths present at the spot informed Keer that he was offered Rs 1 lakh if he converted to Christianity.
Keer confirmed that all three accused mentioned in the FIR were arrested by the police and have been sent to judicial custody.
Video by Hindu activist goes viral
Hindu activists from other organisations were also present, raising objections over the conversion racket. One of the Hindu activists, Prince Pathak, shared a video on social media exposing the racket, which has gone viral.
What the FIR says
The FIR was registered at Satlapur police station on the complaint of Anil Solanki, a resident of Mandideep, under Sections 3 and 5 of the Madhya Pradesh Religious Freedom Act, 2021, against the accused Jam Singh Kanas, his wife Sundar Bai Kanas, and one unidentified person.
According to the complainant, on the night of 26th January, his uncle Jam Singh Kanas took him to his house in Satlapur. Jam Singh’s wife Sundar Bai Kanas and another unidentified person were present. The three pressured him to convert to Christianity and promised him Rs 1 lakh in return. They promised to pay Rs 25,000 as the first instalment, with the remaining amount to be paid later.
The complainant further stated that he was asked to participate in prayers and read the Bible and was pressured to change his religion against his will. Feeling uncomfortable, he left the house and later informed his friends, including Prince Pathak, Brajesh Prajapati, Vivek Vishwakarma, Shubham Kevat, Kamlesh Rai and Rohit Chouksey, after which he approached the police station to lodge a complaint.
Further investigation in the matter is underway.
