NEW DELHI (UCAN): Police in the Mandya district Karanataka state, India slapped conversion charges on Solomon George, the public relations officer of the Sanjo Hospital, along with Sister Nirmal Jose, the hospital administrator, for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus in the state.
George and Sister Jose were accused of denigrating Hindu gods and attempting to convert Hindus, Father Josekutty Kalayil said on March 4.
Father Kalayil said the charges came after militant Hindu activists barged into the hospital and beat up George, who was granted bail on March 3, two days after he was arrested, but the case continues in court.
Father Kalayil, who is helping the hospital deal with the case, recounted that the incident started with an elderly man being admitted to the hospital complaining of high blood pressure on March 1. The next day, he sought to leave the hospital against medical advice.
“He saw a Bible in his room and asked about it when George visited him as part of routine work. George explained about the Bible and said he could read it if interested and left the room,” the priest explained.
“The man immediately summoned his son, a member of a Hindu group. He came in with some 20 people and began to accuse the hospital of conversion,” Father Kalayil said.
More people joined them later, and they began to attack George.
Police were called, but instead they charged George and Sister Jose with conversion and hurting religious sentiments following the complaints by Hindus. George was arrested and taken to jail.
Hospital officials suspect the attackers belong to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a militant Hindu umbrella organisation of groups wanting to turn India into a Hindu nation.
The 100-bed hospital is now functioning as usual, said an official of the Medical Sisters of St. Joseph congregation, which manages the hospital.
Karnataka is governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party, which supports the idea of turning India a Hindu-only nation. They accuse Christian missionaries of using educational and health services as a façade to convert poor people to Christianity.
