'Fraudulent conversions must be banned'

“I agree with the point that fraudulent conversions must be banned. I totally agree that no religion should denigrate or malign any other religion in any form,” said Joyce Nina Pais, a housewife from Kulashekhar. Her statements were recorded by the Commission on its third day of sitting at Circuit House in the City.

However, she said, “It is false to say that fraudulent conversions or denigration of Hindu religion led Bajrang Dal members to attack churches.” She also stated that it is false to say that there was no anti-Christian propaganda by Bajrang Dal and the Christian religious heads were spreading anti-Hindu sentiments.

In his across examination, advocate arguing for Hindu Memorialists asked Pais what did she actually meant when she mentioned Hindutva and narrow interpretation of Hindutva in her affidavit. Pais tried to explain the concepts but later said that she could not express her understanding.

Referring to “the articles published in newspapers maligning Christianity written by narrow-minded writers”, the witness said she did not submit the clippings to the Commission since Fr Valerian Pinto, the parish priest of Kulashekhar church had already submitted the same.

Answering a question, Pais said she saw persons with saffron shawls along with police beating Christian members using lathis. “Since both were doing the same thing, I felt that police colluded with Bajrang Dal,” she stated.

The Commission played a CD produced by the witness to check whether persons with saffron shawls were beating the Christian members. “I cannot find such persons in this part of video coverage; but they were there,” she asserted.

Another witness D Ratnakar Putran, owner of a hotel near Central Market, was also examined. In his affidavit, Putran had complained that a mob had caused damages to his hotel and injured one of his employees after the incident near Milagres Church.