On December 19th, BJP MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi fell on the stairs of Parliament, and with it, the sanctity of the "temple of democracy" was also called into question. Reports indicate that the BJP MP from Balasore was allegedly pushed by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi.
Pratap Sarangi (left), Mahua Moitra (right), images via ANI
While the 69-year-old Sarangi is receiving medical treatment for his injuries, TMC MP Mahua Moitra seized the opportunity to attack and vilify him with false accusations. She alleged that Sarangi was involved in the 1999 killing of Australian Christian missionary Graham Staines and his two children in Odisha.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, Moitra claimed that while Pratap Sarangi accused Rahul Gandhi of rowdyism, it was Sarangi who had led the mob that burned Staines and his two sons alive in 1999.
“By the way, this MP, Mr. Sarangi, accusing @RahulGandhi of ‘rowdyism,’ is the very same Bajrang Dal activist accused of leading the mob that set fire to the vehicle in which Christian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons were sleeping. They were burnt to death,” the Trinamool Congress MP from Krishnanagar posted.
Soon after, TMC supporters and others in the anti-BJP camp began accusing Sarangi of being involved in the tragic deaths of the Australian missionary and his children.
In this context, a supporter of Congress wrote, “Pratap Chandra Sarangi was the Odisha coordinator of the Bajrang Dal when Graham Staines & his two kids were burned alive by Bajrang Dal members two decades ago.”
Another one wrote, “Pratap Chandra Sarangi was Odisha’s state unit chief of the Bajrang Dal when Graham Staines, an Australian Christian, and his two minor children were burnt alive by the members of the right-wing outfit in 1999. How such a bile person becomes a MP??”
In the meantime, IndiaToday Chief Sub Editor Ajmal Abbas suggested that because Sarangi was a Bajrang Dal office bearer at the time of the tragic burning of Staines and his sons, he might have also been implicated in the murder. “This guy, Pratap Sarangi, was the local Bajrang Dal chief when the outfit burnt alive Australian Christian missionary Graham Staines and his family in Odisha in 1999,” Abbas posted.
Several people are circulating a 2019 BBC article titled "Pratap Sarangi: India’s Social Media Hero Minister's Dubious Past," which states: “He was the leader of the Bajrang Dal, a hardline rightwing group when a Hindu mob brutally killed Australian Christian missionary Graham Staines and his two children in 1999.”
Exposing the Truth Behind the Outrageous Allegations Against Pratap Chandra Sarangi
Contrary to the claims made by Mahua Moitra, Pratap Sarangi was neither leading any mob responsible for the deaths of Graham Staines and his sons nor was he named as an accused in the case.
In fact, Dara Singh, an activist associated with Bajrang Dal, along with 12 others, was convicted in 2003 for the murders. On the night of January 22-23, 1999, Graham Stewart Staines, an Australian missionary, and his two young children were burned alive while they slept in their station wagon in the remote village of Manoharpur, in Odisha's Keonjhar District.
The case saw Rabindra Kumar Pal, alias Dara Singh, and 12 others convicted in 2003.
A commission led by Justice D.P. Wadhwa was formed to investigate the triple murder, and while it held Dara Singh accountable, it found no evidence linking Bajrang Dal to the killings.
Additionally, the region where Staines worked had become a communal flashpoint due to the activities of Christian missionaries. The ongoing Christian conversions in the area had intensified communal tensions, and just a year prior to his death, Staines had noted in his journal that some individuals on motorcycles had interfered with his missionary efforts.
The police had even advised Staines to leave the area, citing their inability to guarantee his security due to the upcoming elections.
Staines acknowledged his involvement in conversion activities, stating, “The first jungle camp in Ranchandrapur was a fruitful one and the Spirit of God worked among the people. About 100 attended, some were baptised at the camp. At present, Misayel and some of the church leaders are touring a number of places where people are asking for baptism. Five were baptised at Bigonbadi.”
The Wadhwa Commission report also highlights that communal tensions were at their peak in Keonjhar district because of missionary activities, and it clarifies that Bajrang Dal was not involved in the brutal murder.
“From these issues of the ‘Tidings’ [newsletter published from Australia by Australian Missionary Tidings], following circumstances emerge: .Jungle Camps were regular features in the Districts of Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar. Jungle Camp means four days of Bible teaching, prayer and the fellowship of Christians living together. It enables believers from other churches to meet with local Christians to discuss experiences and encourage one another. Also speakers from other places broaden the vision of those whose lives have been confined to one small village. The teaching helps the church leaders to further develop material for their own regular ministry. The camp can also create hunger in the hearts of those who come just to observe. Each camp has a bookstall, which for many is the only chance to buy Christian literature. Conversions did take place in Jungle Camps. These conversions were not caused by any threat, inducement or duress. There was dispute among Church leaders of Manoharpur Church and attempts were made to sort out the differences among them. Differences were so acute that the Vacation Bible School which was to be held in Manoharpur was cancelled. There was tension in Thakurmunda area between Christians and non-Christians. From July 1998 issue, it does appear that persons, who had been converted to Christianity were Hindus,” the report reads.
Both Dara Singh and Pratap Sarangi notably denied any connection between Singh and Bajrang Dal. Sarangi, who served as the state coordinator of Bajrang Dal at the time, submitted an affidavit to the court stating that "Dara Singh was never affiliated with Bajrang Dal.” Moreover, in his statement, “Pratap Chandra Sarangi, who is the State Coordinator of Bajrang Dal in Orissa, was categorical that re-conversion to Hinduism is not one of the objects of Bajrang Dal. In his affidavit, he stated that Bajrang Dal was not involved in the gruesome murder and that Dara Singh was never a member of the Bajrang Dal. Sarangi stated that Bajrang Dal is an independent forum associated with Vishwa Hindu Parishad. He described the objectives and activities of the Bajrang Dal. It is not necessary to go into that as Bajrang Dal is not an unlawful organization,” the commission stated.
The Wadhwa Commission concluded that there was no evidence to suggest that any of the accused were members of the Bajrang Dal or had connections to the Bharatiya Janata Party.
“The Commission has scrutinized the evidence before it and especially the evidence of the associates of Dara Singh who were involved in the carnage at Manoharpur. There is no evidence to suggest that any of the persons involved in the crime was in fact a member of either the Bajrang Dal or BJP or any organization. There is nothing to suggest in the evidence… that there is involvement of any organisation, even that of Bajrang Dal, in the planning and execution of the crime,” the Wadhwa Commission said.
Conclusion
The official records of the legal proceedings clearly show that Pratap Sarangi was never named as an accused in the murder of Graham Staines and his children, nor was Bajrang Dal involved.
TMC MP Mahua Moitra and the anti-BJP faction are intentionally tarnishing the reputation of the BJP MP to downplay the incident of him being manhandled on Parliament grounds and to normalize violence against MPs from opposing parties.
They seem to believe that it is justified to physically assault and harm someone they accuse of criminal involvement, despite lacking any concrete evidence.
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