Christian Sunday service stopped in Karnataka, verbal clashes ensue

A group of right-wing miscreants allegedly disrupted a Christian service in a prayer hall in Hassan district of Karnataka on Sunday (November 28) and forced the devotees out.

A video that has emerged of the incident showed some of the miscreants engaging in a verbal duel with women devotees outside the prayer hall in Belur.

According to reports, the miscreants were said to be of Bajrang Dal, who stopped the Sunday service, saying the church was constructed illegally at the site.

The women reportedly fought back, asking them who they were to question them.

“The incident happened Sunday. We reached the spot and warned both sides,” inspector K M Yogesh told The Indian Express.

Also read: Why is Karnataka government keen on surveying churches?

The incident comes in the wake of the proposed anti-conversion bill being brought by the BJP government in Karnataka. The state has also initiated a survey of churches as part of the larger perspective to rein in conversions.

The church in Karnataka has strongly opposed the move and such attacks on its members. Similar incidents have happened in the past too. Bajrang Dal and VHP members had in October sang bhajans outside a makeshift church in Hubli in Karnataka.