District administration in Chhattis-garh’s Dhamtari has ordered an inve-stigation into a 115-year-old Christian hospital following complaints from Bajrang Dal, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and other Hindutva organisa-tions. The groups have accused the Bathena Christian Hospital of medical negligence and forced religious con-version. The hospital was established in 1910 by American Mennonite missionaries and is recognised as the oldest hospital in Chhattisgarh.
The probe comes after Hindu organisation members specifically targeted the hospital premises on July 27, vandalising property, damaging equipment and misbehaving with doctors during their protest. Despite the targeted attack, no action has been taken against the perpetrators. Instead, authorities launched an investigation into the hospital itself, effectively legitimising the methods used by the groups. The hospital, known for providing affordable medical care, has faced repeated targeting by Hindu groups in recent months. This was not the first such incident; on June 28, VHP workers had created a ruckus for about three hours, forcibly entering the hospital, putting up flags, smearing the ground with cow dung, and damaging wheelchairs and CCTV cameras. The hospital filed police complaints about both incidents of vandalism, but authorities remained inactive against the perpetrators.
