Christmas festival disrupted by right-wing mob in Pratapgarh

JAIPUR: A mob of right-wing groups allegedly barged into a community centre in Pratapgarh district and disrupted a two-day Christmas festival, organized under the banner of 'Masih Shakti Samiti', late Tuesday night. The organizers alleged that a mob, accompanied by policemen, stopped their function on suspicion of religious conversion. The district police, however, said that they have not arrested anybody and claimed that the organizers had not taken prior permission for the event.
Karu Lal, one of the members of the 'Masih Shakti Samiti', told TOI that the event had to be ended abruptly after a group of about 25 'volunteers' entered the hall of a community centre located in the Housing Board Colony and protested against the alleged religious conversion.

"The mob was emboldened by the cops who accompanied them. They vandalized a book stall where some religious literature was showcased. The mob forcefully stopped our programme," he said, adding that two of their aides were 'rounded up' by the police for no reason.

But district SP Shiv Raj Meena told TOI, "Many local residents had gathered outside the centre and protested against alleged religious conversions. We brought two organizers to the police station as there was an imminent threat to their lives." Meena added that the two were later allowed to go.

The district SP admitted that the police did not find any religious conversion ceremony going on at the centre. Meena claimed that the organizers had not sought any prior permission for the event. "We did not accompany anyone but went to the spot to ensure law and order as a large crowd had gathered at the centre. We found that the organisers did not have any administrative permission to hold the event."

The organizers, however, refuted the charges and said that they had obtained permission from the district administration for the function. "We have been organizing such events for the past many years. But this year, protestors came here and alleged that we were carrying out religious conversions. This is not true," said Laxman Meena, a member of the samiti.