Missionaries Accused of Offensive Remarks and Conversion Bid
Police in Kota have registered a case against two Christian missionaries for allegedly attempting unlawful religious conversion and making inflammatory statements against the Hindu community and the state government. The First Information Report (FIR) was filed under the newly enacted Rajasthan Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act.
Details of the Incident and Accused
The case was registered late on Thursday night at the Borkheda police station. The two accused have been identified as Arun John, a local pastor from Kota who organized the event, and Chandi Varghese, who was called from New Delhi.
According to police officials, the incident occurred during a three-day religious gathering held between November 4 and 6 at the Beersheba Church on Canal Road in Kota. Locals were reportedly invited to the event under the guise of a "spiritual discourse."
During the sessions, the missionaries are alleged to have delivered speeches that encouraged religious conversion. Police stated that Varghese specifically described the Rajasthan government as "the devil's kingdom" and made offensive remarks about the Hindu community.
Police Investigation and Evidence
Authorities have seized videos of the program and screenshots from social media livestreams as part of their evidence collection. One circulating video allegedly shows Varghese stating, "People of Rajasthan will soon be free from worshipping the devil and the reign of devil will end; God will rule in Rajasthan."
Borkheda police station officer Devesh Bhardwaj confirmed that a case has been officially registered, notices have been issued to the accused, and a thorough investigation is currently in progress.
Ashish Sharma, the Kota Convenor of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, claimed responsibility for bringing the incident to light. He further alleged that some Hindu youths reportedly proclaimed from the stage that they had been baptized during the event.
Attempts by media to contact Pastor Arun John were unsuccessful as his phone was switched off. The case highlights the ongoing tensions surrounding religious conversion activities in Rajasthan and the application of the state's new anti-conversion legislation.
