Accused of conversion, carol singers detained in MP 

A group of carol singers and two priests were detained by the police on Thursday evening in Satna, Madhya Pradesh, after they were accused by Bajrang Dal activists of religious conversion.

The group consisting of 30 carol singers and two priests from St. Ephrem’s Theological College were detained from a road as they were moving around the town singing carols, a normal practice during the Christmas season. The carol singers are a part of the Syro-Malabar division of the catholic church, comprising mostly of Malayalees. The college has been organising carol services ever since its inception in 1992.

Eight priests who went to the police station to ask about the detained carollers were also held back. Later, a car used by some of the carollers who went to the police station to enquire about the detained priests was allegedly set on fire by same right wing activists. The entire group was at the police station till midnight.

The police alleged that they received a call that a group of carol singers were involved in religious conversions in Satna, a town around 450 km from state capital Bhopal. The police said a case has been registered against “unknown people” for the car-burning.

“The situation is worrying. While we still have faith in the government, we hope that they can control the forces on ground who are seen to be unruly. I’ve just seen a video on social media in which a person claiming to be a Bajrang Dal activist says that if the police had not taken action, they would have. This is not acceptable in a democratic country,” said Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas, Secretary General, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India.

“For us this is a big scandal. They were definitely there to sing carol songs. It is a custom which has been followed for years. People are out to celebrate Christmas. But now, communal forces are out to catch any stray pastor or priest in the hope to blame them of conversion. Fringe elements want to make these people scapegoats,” said Sister Antasia Gill of the Delhi Minorities Commission.

“Usually carol singers go to areas where Christian families live, and they sing on the road. Sometimes, families give them cake and coffee. In the wake of such celebrations, nearby families also come and enjoy. They can be of any religion. This is a festive season,” added Sister Gill.

“The incident in Satna just a few days before Christmas is shameful and deplorable. Even worse, lynchings, mob attacks and brutal killings of innocent victims with culprits often not being found or going unpunished for months are large blots on our democracy,” added Bishop Mascarenhas