On 12 January 2015, CPI(ML) held protests all over Jehanabad town against the communal assaults launched by BJP and Bajrang Dal activists on a prayer meeting in a church in Madhavnagar in Jehanabad. On 11 January, a group of BJP activists had entered a Protestant church during a routine prayer meeting. They abused those present, looted the church and the organisers of the meeting, vandalized the premises, and broke chairs, mikes and other property in the church. A CPI(ML) team which investigated the whole incident, also came to know that the DM and SP of the area refused to take any action during the assault – even though the Christians in the church kept calling them for help. The police arrived only much later, and even then refused to arrest or any action against those who had perpetrated the violence. In fact, the BJP and Bajrang Dal activists abducted two of those present in the church, falsely accused them of conducting ‘conversions’ under ‘coercion’ and handed them over to the Police after beating them up.
The CPI(ML) protest march, which was held on 12 January began from the CPI(ML) district office, went through the town and culminated in a public meeting at the railway station campus. The protest march demanded action against those communal forces which had attacked a prayer meeting of Christians in Jehanabad. The protest was led by CPI(ML) central committee member comrade Ramjatan Sharma, district secretary Sriniwas Sharma and others. Addressing the protest, comrade Ramjatan Sharma pointed out that ever since the Modi government has come to power, the emboldened communal fascist forces in the country are increasingly indulging in communal hate mongering, violence and intimidation of religious minorities.
