MP: VHP, Bajrang Dal vandalise school alleging conversions of 8 students

Members of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal on Monday vandalised a missionary school in Ganjbasoda area of Vidisha following a video showing a prayer meeting being held and news of alleged conversion of eight children in the school went viral on social media, the police said.

Police registered a case against four identified VHP members and 50 unidentified members of Bajrang Dal under section 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting armed with a deadly weapon) and 427 (causing damage to the amount more than ₹50) of Indian Penal Code, said BB Sharma, sub-divisional officer of police (SDOP), Ganjbasoda, Vidisha. Four identified persons have been detained by the police.

The SDOP said, “The members of the different organisations, including VHP and Bajrang Dal, had announced to hold a protest against an alleged conversion of eight children at St Joseph School. On Monday, people handed over a memorandum to sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) and later, the mob turned violent and pelted the school premises with stones.”

VHP regional president Rajesh Tiwari said, “The members of VHP and Bajrang Dal were holding peaceful protest but anti-social elements joined in and created ruckus.”

The Saint Joseph church denied all allegations. “This fake news was spread by some Youtube channel. The news of holy communion of eight Catholic children was circulated as the conversion of Hindu children.”