Bhubaneswar: Palpable tension continues to prevail at Kopena, a predominantly tribal village in Odisha’s Nabarangpur district, over shifting of a church.
While the district administration has brokered a truce between Hindus and Christians, two platoons of police force remains deployed as a precautionary measure, particularly in view of a seven-day-long yagna or havan in February that might heighten communal friction.
“A community meeting was held in the presence of representatives from both sides, during which it was decided to maintain peace and refrain from taking the law into one’s own hands. Leaders of the Christian community have assured that they will take a decision on the issue of shifting the church within the next 15 days,” IIC of Umerkote police station Ramakant Sai, was quoted as saying.
According to reports, the tension, which had been brewing for past two weeks, escalated when a mob allegedly disrupted a Sunday prayer service and locked members of the Christian community in the church on January 25. Loudspeakers were also used to issue threats, warning that the church would be demolished and the 30 tribal Christian families would be expelled if they continued their religious practices.
The following day, two youths from the community – Jaladhar Santa (17) and Mohan Santa (20) – were allegedly assaulted by the mob.
This followed a meeting of the Hindu community, who decided that no yajna can be performed unless the church is removed. The church is located just 150 metre from Mati Devi temple, where the yagna was being planned. While most residents of the village belong to the Gond, Bhatra and Santa communities, some tribal families have converted to Christianity over the years.
Following complaints from the Christian community, IICs of Umerkote, Jharigaon, Raighar and Dabugaon along with four platoons of police force reached the village. However, they were unable to resolve the issue. Nabarangpur Sub-Collector Prakash Chandra Mishra, Additional SP Aditya Sen, SDPO Suvendu Sabar, Additional Tehsildar Nilambar Pujari, Zilla Parishad member Chandan Roy, and Kopena Sarpanch Parsuram Gond subsequently convened a meeting at the gram panchayat office, which was attended by 30 members of the Hindu community and 10 from the Christian community, to ease tensions. A peace committee was formed, and both sides agreed to uphold harmony and brotherhood in the village. The Christian community reportedly requested a 15-day period to discuss and consider the demand to relocate the church.
The administration is keeping a close watch on the situation to contain any flare-ups.
A resident of Kapena village claimed that increasing religious conversions have been causing conflicts and disputes within families. “If someone wants to convert, they must follow the proper legal procedure, which includes obtaining approval from the district collector. Tribal communities should also be free to continue following their own traditional customs and practices,” he said.
This is the second such incident, involving the Christian community, in the state this month. On January 4, a pastor was allegedly attacked, paraded with a garland of footwear, and publicly humiliated in the Parjang area of Odisha’s Dhenkanal district, following claims that he was involved in religious conversions.
