In yet another brazen call for violence against India’s minorities, a video from Chhattisgarh’s Surguja district surfaced on social media recently, showing Swami Parmatmanand, a Hindutva leader, purportedly asking the gathering to 'behead those who come for religious conversions.'
He was speaking at a protest organised against an alleged rise in religious conversions of Hindus to Christianity, and was also attended by prominent BJP leaders such as Ramvichar Netam, a former MP, ex-chairman of the National Scheduled Tribes Commission, Nand Kumar Sai, and BJP spokesperson Anurag Singh Deo – all of whom were present on stage with Parmatmanand.
In a video doing the rounds on social media, Nand Kumar Sai can also be seen clapping as Parmatmanand delivered his controversial speech.
What Can Be Heard in the Video?
The event, titled ‘Bandh Karo Dharmantaran’ (stop religious conversions), was organised by Sarwa Sanatan Hindu Raksha Manch, The Wire reported.
In the video, accessed but not independently verified by The Quint, Parmatmanand can be heard saying: “Keep danda (sticks) at home. People in cities don’t keep them. In our villages, people keep axes in their homes. Why do they keep axes?” he asks the attendees before going on and answering, “Mundi kaato… jo dharmantaran karne aata hai..haan! (Behead them, those who come for religious conversion).”
He then adds in Hindi, “You must be thinking why am I, a saint, talking about violence? You will wonder how am I a saint if I am igniting fire. Sometimes a fire needs to be ignited. He then goes on to purportedly compare himself to Lord Hanuman, who too, he said, had to burn down Ravana's Lanka.
“I am telling you. Anyone who comes into your house, street, neighbourhood, village... don’t forgive them,” he can be heard saying.
“I want to tell those Christians who went away (converted), why did you leave the ocean for the well? I want you to talk to them politely first. Roko (stop), phir toko (protest), phir thoko (shoot),” he added.
Later, the Sukma Superintendent of Police issued a letter asking all police stations to keep an eye on Christian missionaries and recently converted tribal people, in an effort to stop “illegal” religious conversions, The Wire report added.
(With inputs from The Wire)
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