Khajuraho (UCAN): Sister Bhagya of the Sisters of Destitute, was charged by police with trying to allure a Hindu teacher to Christianity in the Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh state on February 22.
The nun, who is the principal of the Sacred Heart Convent High School in Khajuraho, was accused of violating the state’s stringent anti-conversion law, according to local Church officials.
“It is absolutely a false charge,” said Father Paul Varghese, public relations officer of the Diocese of Satna, which covers the area of the school.
The case is centred on a complaint by 45-year-old Ruby Singh, a Hindu, who joined the school as a teacher in 2016. The school’s management terminated her services last year during the Covid-19 coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) lockdown after complaints about her teaching from parents and students.
However, Singh alleged to police that she was terminated because she refused pressure from Sister Bhagya to abandon her Hindu faith and become a Christian.
‘The case is the result of her (Singh) termination. The woman unsuccessfully staged a protest in front of the convent and school demanding to be reinstated’
Father Paul Varghese
“Sister Bhagya is innocent and she is falsely accused by (someone) taking advantage of the loopholes in the new anti-conversion law,” Father Varghese said, adding that the case was the latest in a series of incidents against Christians since the state’s pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government implemented a new anti-conversion law in January
The law criminalises any force, allurement or fraudulent means to change a person’s religion for another religion.
“The case is the result of her (Singh) termination. The woman unsuccessfully staged a protest in front of the convent and school demanding to be reinstated,” Father Varghese asserted.
‘Now anybody can accuse a Christian of violating the anti-conversion law and police can initiate an investigation without any evidence to substantiate the charges, as in the case of Sister Bhagya’
Father Paul Varghese
As Singh continued to create a problem, the management of the Sacred Heart Convent High School complained to the police on February 17 seeking protection from her.
Father Varghese pointed out that it was then that Singh filed a complaint accusing the school principal of trying to allure her to become Christian.
Right-wing Hindu activists also demonstrated in front of the police station demanding Sister Bhagya’s immediate arrest. Meanwhile, she has moved an anticipatory bail application before the district court.
Church leaders say the new anti-conversion law has become a tool for targeting Christians in Madhya Pradesh, a hotbed of anti-Christian activities.
“Now, if a Christian recommends a poor student in any of our schools for free education, it can be termed as a case of allurement to convert that student,” Father Maria Stephan, public relations officer of the Church in the state, lamented on February 24.
He said the law makes it clear that the burden of proof is on the accused rather than on the accuser.
“Now anybody can accuse a Christian of violating the anti-conversion law and police can initiate an investigation without any evidence to substantiate the charges, as in the case of Sister Bhagya,” Father Stephan added.
According to Church leaders, nearly a dozen cases have been registered against Christians and at least 12 people were jailed in the two months since the law came into force.
Christians are also targeted for holding prayer meetings in their homes and other prayer centres in the state.
On January 26, right-wing activists forced their way into a Protestant prayer service in Indore, accusing it of religious conversion activities. Police arrested nine people (Sunday Examiner, February 7).
Similar incidents have been reported from other parts of Madhya Pradesh.
