A man identified as Marappa had filed a complaint against his father-in-law Vasanthkumar and other relatives for allegedly forcing him to convert to Christianity. The complainant is a resident of Budga Jangam Colony in Aravind Nagar near Hospet, Hosadurga, district Chitradurga, Karnataka. In the complaint, Marappa alleged that his in-laws are not allowing him to meet his wife and newborn baby.
A man has lodged a complaint against his father-in-law and other relatives for allegedly forcing to him convert to Christianity in Hosadurga police station of Chitradurga district in #Karnataka, police said. pic.twitter.com/98gMRvi0yT
— IANS Tweets (@ians_india) January 25, 2022
He further added his wife’s family members threatened, blackmailed and assaulted him to convert him to Christianity. Along with his father-in-law, Marappa named Ramachandrappa, his wife’s grandfather, relatives Sudhakar, Manjunath, Sankappa in his complaint.
As per reports, Marappa got married on July 6, 2020. He alleged in his complaint that while getting married, he was forced to take a dip in holy water, and it was declared he was then converted to Christianity. He further alleged the accused torn and burnt Hindu Gods’ photos and asked him not to worship Hindu Gods and Goddesses. Marappa said in the complaint that the accused termed Hindu Goddesses Sunklamma, Maramma, Durgamma as “evils”, and had told him that if he worshipped them, he would be damned to hell.
As per a Times of India report, Marappa and his family converted back to Hinduism only a month after the wedding as they did not believe in Christianity. “My father also told my wife to leave Christianity and come back home within three months. But her father did not allow her to get back to Hinduism,” he said.
When Sarala, Marappa’s wife, was pregnant, he had sent her to her parents’ house on December 2, 2021. He came to know about the birth of his baby from others. When his family members, including his brothers Doddahusseni, Sana Hussaini, Karthik, Chandru, met the newborn baby, they were abused by the accused. They were not allowed to enter the house, the man has alleged.
The Police said Marappa was told he could see his newborn child and wife only if he started following Christianity. When his brothers questioned the accused, they were allegedly assaulted. Marappa has urged the Police to initiate action against his in-laws for hurting his religious sentiments and ensure that his wife and newborn are reunited with him.
Hyderabad Karnataka Alemari (nomadic) Budga Jangam Jagruthi Samithi and local BJP MLA Gulihatty D. Shekhar have demanded justice. The investigation in the case is underway.
Notably, the issue of religious conversion has been raised in Karnataka state Assembly was BJP MLA Sudhakar, after which Anti-Conversion Bill was introduced. MLA G Shekhar had stated in the assembly that his own mother was converted to Christianity by missionaries. However, some religious leaders, especially those belonging to Christianity, have been opposing the bill.
OpIndia tried reaching out to Police and MLA Shekhar for more details into the case but could not connect.
