In Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai's home district Haveri, a Dalit Christian preacher Chandrakanth B Komalapu, 51, is faced with an ironic crisis. While Chandrakanth has not been able to convince his son, 23-year-old Moses Sandesh, who is a practising Hindu, to adopt Christianity, he was attacked in November 2021, for 'converting' 30 local Hindus to to Christianity.
Chandrakanth told The Quint, "I have never asked anyone, including my son, to follow my faith because that is someone's personal choice. I only preach what I believe in and those who accept the preaching come for worship."
On 7 November, 25 local vigilantes allegedly disrupted Chandrakanth's prayer gathering at Jeevadayaka Suvartha Madira, a makeshift prayer hall set up in Aladakatti of Haveri, and manhandled him.
Practice and propagation of one's religion is a guaranteed right under Article 25 of the Indian Constitution.
However, like pastor Chandrakanth whose parents were daily wage workers, a good number of those who have been at the receiving end of the alleged attacks on Christians in Karnataka are first-generation preachers who hail from historically marginalised groups, including Dalits and Adivasis.
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