Ranchi, October 6: BJP State President and Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi has accused the Hemant Soren-led government of showing religious bias.
Reacting to a meeting organized by the Simdega district administration on the security of churches, Marandi alleged that the government is trying to protect Christian missionaries and groups involved in religious conversions.
Marandi said that while the administration is holding special meetings for church security, tribal religious sites continue to face neglect. He pointed out that places like Jaher Than, Manjhi Than, Sarna Sthal, Masna Bhumi, and Hadgadi have been encroached upon in recent years.
Despite repeated protests by locals demanding their protection, Marandi claimed that the government has failed to take any meaningful action.
The first Chief Minister of the state also referred to incidents of bomb attacks, stone pelting, and idol damage at temples and questioned why no official meetings have been held for their security. “Why are district officials only discussing the safety of churches? Why not temples, mosques, gurudwaras, and Sarna sites?” he wrote on X.
Marandi further claimed that around 51% of Simdega’s population has converted to Christianity and alleged that government officials have indirectly supported such conversions. He termed the recent meeting as a step to strengthen organizations engaged in religious conversion under the guise of ‘healing meetings’.
He demanded that the administration make the meeting’s agenda public and include representatives from all religions and communities. He said that the government’s duty is to ensure the safety of every religious place equally.
