On 19th December, a distressing incident took place in the Indian Parliament, often revered as the temple of democracy. BJP MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi, a 69-year-old leader from Balasore, Odisha, suffered a fall on the stairs of Parliament. This was not an ordinary accident but allegedly caused by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, raising concerns about the decorum within the sacred precincts of democracy. Sarangi is currently receiving medical treatment for the injuries sustained during this unfortunate episode.

While the BJP leader recuperates, TMC MP Mahua Moitra took the opportunity to launch a scathing attack, leveling baseless allegations against him. Instead of condemning the incident, Moitra chose to vilify Sarangi by dragging his name into an unrelated and grave incident from 1999.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Mahua Moitra alleged that Pratap Chandra Sarangi was involved in the heinous crime of burning alive Australian Christian missionary Graham Staines and his two young sons in Odisha over two decades ago. Her exact words were: “Btw this MP Mr. Sarangi accusing @RahulGandhi of ‘rowdyism’ is very same Bajrang Dal activist accused for leading mob & setting fire to vehicle in which Christian missionary Graham Staines & his two sons were asleep. They burnt to death.”

Moitra’s claims triggered a cascade of accusations from TMC supporters and others in the anti-BJP ecosystem. These allegations were echoed by Congress supporters, with one stating, “Pratap Chandra Sarangi was the Odisha coordinator of the Bajrang Dal when Graham Staines & his kids were burned alive by Bajrang Dal members two decades ago.”

However, a closer examination reveals that these allegations against Sarangi are not supported by facts or any credible evidence. This isn’t the first time propaganda has been used to malign a BJP leader without substantial proof.

The propaganda against BJP MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi intensified as more unfounded allegations surfaced, perpetuated by TMC supporters and certain media figures. One user 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??”

Adding fuel to the fire, Ajmal Abbas, the Chief Sub Editor of India Today, made insinuations linking Sarangi to the gruesome murder. Abbas wrote: “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.” His comment attempted to portray Sarangi as complicit in the crime solely based on his association with the Bajrang Dal at that time, ignoring the absence of any legal evidence or conviction tying Sarangi to the incident.

The smear campaign further leaned on a 2019 BBC article titled ‘Pratap Sarangi: India social media hero minister’s dubious past.’ The article claimed: “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.”

Despite the repeated claims, no concrete evidence or credible judicial pronouncement has ever implicated Pratap Chandra Sarangi in the tragic 1999 incident. These allegations seem to be part of a coordinated attempt to malign his character and distract from the actual events in Parliament where he sustained injuries. The focus has shifted from the attack on Sarangi within the Parliament to a fabricated tale of his supposed involvement in a crime that occurred over two decades ago, raising questions about the intent behind this narrative.

The truth about the outrageous allegations against Pratap Chandra Sarangi

The allegations made by Mahua Moitra against BJP MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi stand in stark contrast to the established facts. Contrary to Moitra’s claims, Pratap Sarangi was neither leading any mob that killed Graham Staines and his sons nor was he named as an accused in the case.

The tragic incident, which took place on the intervening night of 22nd and 23rd January 1999, saw Australian missionary Graham Stewart Staines and his two young children being burnt alive while they slept in a station wagon in the remote village of Manoharpur in Odisha’s Keonjhar district. The murders shocked the nation and led to widespread condemnation.

In this case, Rabindra Kumar Pal, also known as Dara Singh, an activist linked to Bajrang Dal, and 12 others were convicted in 2003. A thorough investigation into the killings was conducted, and a commission led by Justice D.P. Wadhwa was set up to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident. The Wadhwa Commission found Dara Singh guilty but explicitly stated that there was no evidence to suggest that the Bajrang Dal as an organization was involved in the murders. This finding directly contradicts the narrative pushed by Mahua Moitra and her supporters.

The background of the incident reveals deeper communal tensions in the region. The area where Graham Staines worked had long been a communal flashpoint due to conversion activities by Christian missionaries. Staines’ work, which included baptizing locals, had created friction among the communities. In his journal, Staines admitted to engaging in conversion activities. He noted, “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 situation escalated to such an extent that the police had warned Staines to leave the area, citing the difficulty in providing him security during election time. Despite these warnings, Staines chose to continue his work, which tragically culminated in his death and that of his two sons.

It is important to highlight that the Wadhwa Commission’s findings, the convictions in the case, and the historical context of communal tensions all absolve Pratap Chandra Sarangi of any involvement.

The findings of the Wadhwa Commission further clarify the truth behind the baseless allegations against BJP MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi. The report highlights that communal tensions in Odisha's Keonjhar district were significantly heightened due to missionary activities, but it explicitly concluded that the Bajrang Dal was not involved in the gruesome murder of Graham Staines and his two sons.

The Wadhwa Commission also shed light on the practices of the missionaries, particularly through the newsletter ‘Tidings’ published by Australian Missionary Tidings. The report detailed: “From these issues of the ‘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.”

The report acknowledged that “Conversions did take place in Jungle Camps. These conversions were not caused by any threat, inducement or duress.” It also noted disputes among Church leaders in the Manoharpur area, which had become so severe that a planned Vacation Bible School had to be canceled. The communal tensions in the region were further aggravated by the activities of Christian missionaries, as the report noted: “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.”

Further refuting any connection between Dara Singh and Bajrang Dal, both Dara Singh and Pratap Chandra Sarangi categorically denied such associations. Sarangi, who was the state coordinator of Bajrang Dal at the time, filed an affidavit stating, “Dara Singh was never associated with the Bajrang Dal.” He went on to clarify in his statement: “Re-conversion to Hinduism is not one of the objects of Bajrang Dal.” Sarangi emphasized that the Bajrang Dal is an independent forum associated with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and described its objectives and activities, which are not unlawful in nature.

The Wadhwa Commission ultimately confirmed: “There was no evidence that any of the accused were Bajrang Dal members or had links with the Bharatiya Janata Party.” This definitive finding discredits the narrative propagated by Mahua Moitra and others, which falsely attempted to implicate Sarangi and Bajrang Dal in the murders.

Excerpt from the Wadhwa Commission report

The findings of the Wadhwa Commission provide an unambiguous account of the events surrounding the tragic killings of Graham Staines and his two sons in 1999. The report categorically states: “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.”

This authoritative statement dismisses the allegations of organizational involvement and directly contradicts claims made against BJP MP Pratap Sarangi. The commission's thorough investigation found no connection between the perpetrators of the crime and any political or social organization, including the Bajrang Dal or the BJP.

Conclusion

From the legal and official records of the case, it is abundantly clear that Pratap Sarangi was not even named as an accused in the murders of Graham Staines and his children. Furthermore, the Bajrang Dal was not implicated in the planning or execution of the crime, as confirmed by the Wadhwa Commission.

Despite this, TMC MP Mahua Moitra and the anti-BJP ecosystem have engaged in a concerted effort to malign the image of Pratap Sarangi. Their goal appears to be twofold: to deflect attention from the incident of manhandling within Parliament premises and to normalize acts of violence against MPs from opposing political parties.

By propagating baseless allegations, they aim to justify unacceptable behavior, portraying it as a response to unproven accusations. This dangerous narrative seeks to undermine the principles of democracy, where due process and evidence-based reasoning should prevail. Accusing an individual without any credible proof while ignoring their rights to dignity and justice reflects a troubling trend in political discourse.