Chhattisgarh: Rightwing Bodies’ Protest Against Religious Conversions Evokes Mixed Response

 Raipur: The ‘dawn-to-dusk’ shutdown call given by the rightwing bodies in Chhattisgarh in protest against religious conversions on Wednesday evoked mixed response, officials said.

While normal life was completely disrupted due to the bandh in the majority of districts in the state, the shutdown call received mixed response in some other areas, reports reaching from different parts of the state said.

Barring a few incidents of vandalism at some places, the bandh remained more or less peaceful in the state, a senior police officer said.

The shutdown was supported by the trade and commerce bodies leading to the complete shutdown of the commercial establishments in the state during the bandh period.

Vehicular traffic was also hit in major parts of the state due to the bandh.

The bandh supporters vandalized Christmas decorations in a reputed mall in Raipur, leading to deployment of police force there.

A video showing them damaging the Christmas decorations in the mall has gone viral on social media.

“Appropriate action will be taken after complaints regarding vandalism will be received”, a senior police officer said.

The rightwing organizations called the bandh demanding a stricter law to curb the alleged forced religious conversions in the state particularly in tribal areas.

State unit president of Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) Ghanashyam Choudhary said that the bandh was called to highlight the alleged forced religious conversions in the state.

He alleged that the Christian missionaries were indulging in forced religious conversions particularly in tribal areas violating the rules.

The stir comes in the wake of the recent violent clash between the tribals and Christian community members in a village in Kanker district in Bastar in the state over burial of a villager.

Congress spokesman Sushil Mohan Shukla however alleged that the bandh was enforced with the support of the ruling BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

He alleged that the RSS-affiliated organizations and BJP supporters forced closure of commercial establishments during the period and created an atmosphere of fear under police protection.