Manipuri priest harassed, forced to chant 'Jai Shri Ram' in Jammu

Ground Report | New Delhi: Manipuri priest harassed; A Christian priest from Manipur was thrashed by unidentified right-wing supporters for not saying 'Jai Shri Ram' on Christmas in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district. A video of the incident went viral on Thursday (December 30), following which there was an outcry in the community.

According to the report, in the video going viral, it can be seen that two people are pressurizing the priest to say 'Jai Shri Ram'. Along with this, he alleged that he was involved in religious conversion, which has been rejected by both the police and the victim.

Bol Jai Shri Ram… Bol Saale…” a Hindutva goon yells at a terrified man from the North East, as he tries to explain that he is a Christian by birth as are his parents. However, the goon is in no mood to listen and keeps on shouting at the man, "You are here to convert people.. Who called you here. The victim, who was later identified as a Christian priest from Manipur, said this Tries to explain that those who came to meet were already Christian believers, "He has believed the Lord before I came," he says. "You are here for conversion… Say Jai Shri Ram. ..isn't he the Lord?"

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Another goon filmed the incident, which took place on Christmas in the Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir for not saying 'Jai Shri Ram' as per their demand. The video finally went viral on Thursday, December 30, even though the goons are yet to be identified by the local police.

According to a report in The Wire, priest Chunglenlal Singsit recalled, "The incident happened around 3 pm on Christmas. I had gone to pray at a believer's house in Kathua. I returned home and took care of my three children. Went to the market to buy some gifts. Then two people stopped me and started accusing me of converting the family where I had gone that day and forcing me to say 'Jai Shri Ram'."

Chunglenlal, hailing from Kuki tribe and Kangpokpi district of Manipur, has been living in Kathua for the past three years and is a priest in a Christian organization named Friends of Missionary Prayer Band. (Manipuri priest harassed)

He told the media that the goons also "called up someone" and eventually "a crowd of 100 people gathered, some of whom threatened to beat me for converting, while three people slapped me several times."

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In the video you can see me wetting my lips again and again; It was because I was so scared that my mouth and throat went dry. I could hardly speak out of fear. They also called the local police and accused me of converting in the area. While I told the police what really happened and denied any conversion, the police picked me up instead; Kept me in lockup for more than 24 hours, abused me, and even beat me in custody. Kathua SSP said that if I do not leave for Manipur within five days, then action will be taken against me. I was released after 24 hours as members of my organization asked if I had been arrested and asked for a copy of the first information report to seek my bail.

The personal assistant of the Kathua SSP denied that any Christian priest was arrested or detained on the charge of conversion, “We have no information about any such case in Kathua.

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