Dibya Kamal Bordoloi
Christian Missionary arrested by Dibrugarh Police for singing traditional Assamese “Naam-Prayers” (devotional songs) putting Jesus Christ's name in the lyrics for religious conversion.
Guwahati: Sensational practice of religious conversion by a Christian missionary has come to light in the Dibrugarh district of upper Assam. Police arrested a Christian missionary Ranjan Chutia for misusing the religious and cultural creation of Srimanta Shankar Dev for religious conversion. Dibrugarh police today (July 28) arrested the Christian missionary from Moran healing centre after Hindu Yuba Chatra Parishad lodged an FIR. The accused person recreates Borgeet, Naam, Ghusha (Assamese religious devotional songs) and put Jesus Christ's name in the lyrics. Recently videos of these recreated songs have become viral on social media.
Missionary Ranjan Chutia also misuses the traditional “Bihu” songs by putting Jesus Christ's name in the lyrics. It was seen in the viral videos that people wearing western outfits playing traditional Assamese drums, instruments (Khol, Nagara, Taal created by Shankar Dev plays in Assamese religious prayer house “Naam Ghar”) and sings traditional Assamese “Naam-Prayers” (devotional songs) putting Jesus Christ's name in the lyrics. The viral videos exploiting Guru Shankar Dev’s creation for religious conversion irked lakhs of disciples of Guru Shankar Dev in Assam.
The Batadrava Sattra, the birthplace of Guru Shankar Dev, reacting sharply warned the missionaries not to indulge in such practice using the creation of Shankar Dev. Sattradhikar of Batadrava Sattra Devananda DebGoswami condemned the entire ill practice and urged the state government to take immediate action to prevent such activities, leading to a social uproar. The Shankar Dev Sangh, the largest Vaishnavite religious organization of Northeast India, asked the missionary to stop immediately using Guru Shankar Dev’s noble creation to attract people towards Christianity.
Secretary-General of the Sangh Babul Bora appealed to the state government to intervene in the matter to stop the ill practice of the missionaries. On 25th July, the Hindu Yuva Chatra Parishad lodged an FIR against the main culprit Ranjan Chutia in the Moran police station in Dibrugarh district. In the FIR, the organization accused that the missionary Ranjan Chutia and his derogatory works towards the creation of Guru Shankar Dev has deeply pained the Assamese society. Thus it should be stopped immediately to maintain social peace.
It should be mentioned that the arrested missionary Ranjan Chutia and his companions started at a prayer house named “World Healing Prayer Center” in Moran a few years ago. The accused claim to treat patients with any disease by healing prayer in his church. He also claims to cure all diseases in his prayer centre through special power given by Jesus Christ. The centre now with total concrete construction like church visited by thousands of people to seek the remedy of their diseases. The various local organizations claim that missionary Ranjan Chutia has converted
hundreds of people to Christianity in the name of providing good health and monetary help.
The Dibrugarh police have booked the accused person under sections 153(A) and 195(A) of IPC. In the mandatory health checkup, it is found that missionary Ranjan Chutia is COVID-19 positive.
The Dibrugarh police admitted the arrested missionary at a local Covid hospital.
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