ICC Note:
A 63-year-old Christian evangelist in India was handed over to police after being accused of attempting to convert people in exchange for money. Christians in India are often falsely accused of forced conversions as Hindu radicals use the vague anti-forced conversion laws to curtain any attempts to outreach to Hindus. Recently, Jharkhand state added an anti-forced conversion law to their penal code and many Christians there fear increased harassment from local radicals.
08/28/2017 India (Asia News) – A Pentecostal Christian from Karnataka was handed over to the police on charges of attempted forced conversions. On August 26, Dorairaju, a 63-year-old Christian man, was surrounded by about twenty residents of Kollamogru-Kalmakaru village.
The group first searched for him and then “escorted” him to the local police station. The police welcomed the accusers’ accusations and sent them all home, including the Christian. Today, August 28, Dorairaju will have to appear again in the police station to defend himself against the accusation that he has attempted to convert people with the promise of money.
Speaking to Asia News, Sajan K. George, President of the Global Council of Indian Christians, said, “The Christian would visit houses in the village to bring the Good News, but he never offered money.”
In the past, Dorairaju had been indicted for forced conversions. In all likelihood, distrust of him is due to the fact that he himself is a convert. He regularly visits the houses of his village, where different Dalits live, and offer prayers. His visits had already sparked a wave of suspicions by the Hindus.
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