District administration in Chhattisgarh’s Dhamtari has ordered an investigation into a 115-year-old Christian hospital following complaints from Bajrang Dal, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and other Hindutva organisations. The groups have accused the Bathena Christian Hospital of medical negligence and forced religious conversion.
The hospital was established in 1910 by American Mennonite missionaries and is recognised as the oldest hospital in Chhattisgarh. Originally founded as a unit of the Mennonite Medical Board, the 250-bedded multi-specialty facility has served 10 districts including Dhamtari, Balod, Raipur, Rajnandgaon, Kanker, Bastar, Durg, Kondagaon, Dantewada and Gariaband, along with adjoining areas of Odisha.
During the 1918-1920 Spanish Flu pandemic, the hospital served humanity despite limited medical resources available at that time. The institution has remained self-supporting, though it maintains connections with American Mennonite friends and welcomes medical personnel for short-term assignments.
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.
Chief Medical Officer Uttam Kaushik told the media that “investigation has been launched against the hospital based on complaints from VHP, Bajrang Dal and others.” He confirmed that besides medical negligence, conversion allegations prompted district administration officials to join the inquiry team specifically to examine religious conversion claims.
VHP’s Ramchandra Devangan alleged forced religious activities at the nursing college attached to the hospital. “This hospital runs a nursing college where conversion takes place. Students are pressured and taken to church for prayers,” he claimed. The complainants also alleged that Hindu female students in the nursing college were being pressured to marry Christian men.
Hospital Medical Superintendent Sandeep Kumar Patonda rejected all allegations as baseless. “This hospital has been running for more than 100 years and treats patients without any discrimination. Our main purpose is service,” he said. He denied any religious activities or conversions at the nursing college.
When contacted by media about the allegations, Dr Patonda reportedly declined to respond, saying the hospital does not give answers to news outlets.
Patonda stated that no patient or family member had approached them directly with complaints. “We have not received any written complaint. Information about medical negligence and other matters reaches them through media or other organisations,” he explained.
The VHP has submitted eight demands to the health ministry and administration, including registering murder and fraud cases against “guilty doctors,” cancelling their medical licences, compensating victims, sealing the hospital, ensuring “religious freedom” in the nursing college, banning “forced” religious activities, and prohibiting nursing students from treating patients.
State Health Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal ordered the investigation after receiving the complaint, with officials directed to conduct a probe and take further action based on the findings. The swift ministerial response to the groups’ demands has emboldened further targeting of the institution.
Dr Rakesh Gupta, president of the Chhattisgarh chapter of Association of Healthcare Providers of India (AHPI), strongly condemned the targeting of the hospital. He described the vandalism and misbehaviour with health workers and doctors as objectionable, noting the institution had served remote tribal areas lacking medical facilities since before independence.
“Forcibly targeting this 115-year-old hospital and giving it a religious colour is an incident that discourages the medical profession,” Dr Gupta said. He added that “such actions based on hatred are not acceptable in any civilised society.”
Dr Gupta emphasised that the hospital’s record in medical service was unparalleled and that doctors take the Hippocratic Oath to treat patients without discrimination based on religion or caste.
“If there are shortcomings in treatment, the government has created legally competent platforms for solutions. Patients can lodge complaints with the administration, but taking law into one’s hands and attacking premises creates wrong precedent,” Dr Gupta said.
AHPI has demanded complete security for the hospital premises, nursing staff and doctors to ensure fearless treatment for needy patients. The organisation warned that such targeting of healthcare institutions serving tribal and marginalised communities could severely impact medical services in the region. It also called for strict legal action under medical premises violence act against those who vandalised the property.
This incident follows the recent arrest of two nuns from Kerala in Chhattisgarh, indicating a broader pattern of targeting Christian institutions in the state despite their longstanding service to local communities.
