Karnataka, Pentecostal Christian accused of forced conversions
by Nirmala Carvalho

Dorairaj is 63 and resides in the village of Kollamogru-Kalmakaru. A group of about 20 people surrounded and searched. The Christian had already been indicted in the past. Perhaps targeted by the Hindus because a convert.


Mumbai (AsiaNews) - A Pentecostal Christian from Karnataka was handed over to the police on charges of forced conversions. Last August 26 Dorairaju, a 63-year-old man, was surrounded by about twenty residents of Kollamogru-Kalmakaru village.

TheHindu group first searched him and then "escorted" him to the local police station. The police welcomed the accusers' denunciation and sent them all home, including the Christian. Today 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 AsiaNews Sajan K George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (Gcic), says: "The Christian would visit houses in the village to bring the Good News, but he never offered money."

In the past, man had already 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.

After searching  his bag, in which they found religious material, the group dragged him in front of police. "Village residents - reports Sanjan K George - have filed charges against him for an hour, accusing him of attempting to plagiarize [the population] with the promise of money. But all this is false. Dorairaj has never attempted to bribe anybody. He only wanted to share the teachings of the Gospel, and this is neither criminal nor illegal. People opened the doors of their own home to him, so there was no violation of his domicile, neither did he enter homes under false pretenses. " "This whole situation - he concludes - is really sad for the vulnerable Pentecostal Christian, who has been apprehended by the majority only for visiting homes."