Rising persecution in Punjab, India, alarms Christian community

On Wednesday 25 May, in the city of Jalandhar in India’s Punjab state, a Christian was severely beaten by eight Hindu extremists after he protested against Hindu desecration of a Christian graveyard. Even though a complaint was registered with the police on the day of incident, a First Information Report (FIR) was not registered until Monday 13 June.

Anoop Masih cannot afford the surgery and is fearful of malpractice because of the influence of local Hindu extremists over doctors in the area
Masih continues, “They hit me all over my body with many blows using their fists and legs, and then started to hit me in my private parts. One of them was wearing boots and his boot repeatedly hit one of my testicles so hard that I collapsed with the intensity of pain and I almost thought I’ll soon be dead.”Arif Chouhan (centre) said, ““In my 16 years of ministry as a Christian leader, I have not faced such opposition before”

Anoop Masih, aged 47, is a resident of Jalandhar and works as an auto-rickshaw driver. In his recollection of events to Barnabas Fund, Masih said that on the evening of 25 May a man “who seemed to me a learned gentleman” was booked for a ride. “I was asked to stop for a moment in front of a shop in Santokhpura area, where seven men were waiting to ambush me. They suddenly pulled me down from my auto-rickshaw and started to assault me, saying that they are going to put me in a grave today.”

The attackers fled, leaving Masih lying on the street. All of the shopkeepers in the area quickly closed their shops and left. A passer-by who recognised Masih informed his family who came to his aid.

Vishnu Dev, pastor of a church in the nearby city of Ludhiana, said, “The Hindu extremists intended to spread fear and teach Masih a lesson for speaking for the Christian community.”

The incident had begun earlier in the day when Masih went home for lunch. His mother informed him that a group of Hindu extremists were throwing waste soil and garbage on a graveyard designated for Christians. Masih went to the graveyard and spoke to the groups. “I told them not to demean the Christian land and reminded them that the sentiments of the Christians are with their dead buried here,” said Masih.

This particular graveyard is common land given to the Hindu and the Christian communities to cremate bury their dead respectively. According to land records, this was designated even before India’s independence in 1947. Government officials subsequently divided the area a few years back and assigned separate portions to the two communities.

“Some Hindu troublemakers are trying to grab the whole graveyard land for the Hindu community. Amendments are being carried out to the Christian portion of the land without our consent. The idea is to take complete control over the Christian portion gradually,” said Masih in frustration. “We will deal with this issue through the court now.”

Doctors have recommended surgery for Masih, but being poor he cannot afford this. He is also fearful of malpractice during the surgery because of the influence of local Hindu extremists over the doctors in the area.

“The situation for Christians in Punjab is getting difficult. This also coincides with the rise of the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) in the state. Now that elections are just around the corner, the political elements are using these incidents to polarise the state and divert the attention of the people from the real issues like corruption and drug addiction that plague the state,” said Rev. Vijayesh Lal, Executive Director of the Evangelical Fellowship of India.

“We appeal to the Chief Minister of Punjab, Mr. Prakash Singh Badal, to direct his officials to look into this matter in particular and also on the issue of increased targeting of Christians in the state and take appropriate measures to ensure that the rule of law prevails,” he added. 

“Small incidents of violence against Christians used to happen sporadically in Punjab…now since the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government come to power [in 26 May 2014], every now and then there are major incidents reported,” said Pastor Vishnu Dev.

Grandmother and granddaughter thrown out of their home

In another incident, which took place in Pakhowal village, in the district of Ludhiana, a seven-year-old girl and her grandmother were thrown out of their home by the girl’s Hindu father because of their decision to convert from Hinduism to Christianity. The father of the girl has also filed a police complaint against Dharminder Bajwa, the pastor of the church which the girl and her grandmother attend.

The grandmother became a Christian five years ago. Her family opposed the decision and tried to convince her to return to Hinduism. The trouble heightened when the young girl – who had been watching her grandmother’s life closely – decided herself to follow Jesus. This was met with strong opposition, and after the young girl stood firm in her new faith both she and her grandmother were asked to leave home.

Pastor Vishnu Dev told Barnabas Fund that the grandmother is now working to support both herself and her granddaughter. “[She] has started to work in a small school where she serves water to the staff and sweeps the school,” he said. 

Attacked with sickle for holding Christian rally

Elsewhere in Punjab state, in the city of Gurdaspur, Arif Chouhan, aged 29, had organised a Masih Chetna Rally (Christian Awareness Rally) on Tuesday 31 May. Four days before the rally, on 27 May, Chouhan was chased by four masked men in a car whilst travelling home on his motorbike. The men stopped Chouhan and brutally assaulted him.

“Each of them was carrying a sickle in their hand and they hit me holding it upside down in a way that I would get internal injuries and not bleed,” said Chouhan to Barnabas Fund. The attackers told Chouhan that they wanted to stop him from running the Christian rally. They hit Chouhan until he fell unconscious. He was left on the road for an hour, after which time he regained consciousness.

Chouhan added that the attack was well-planned, saying, “While assaulting me the attackers said that they had been following me for ten days and finally found me in a secluded place.”

Chouhan sustained internal injuries and fractures to his elbow and ankle.

The incident was registered with the police on 28 May. “I was unable to move for two weeks and the police have now given me two security personnel for my safety,” Chouhan said. He went on to say, “In my 16 years of ministry as a Christian leader, I have not faced such opposition before.”

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Punjab: Five Christian schools ‘burgled’ in 13 days

Incidents of theft at five Christian schools, three in Amritsar and one each in Tarn Taran and Fazilka districts, over the past 13 days have the Diocesan Education Board, Jalandhar, worried.

In Amritsar district, on January 5, thieves reportedly stole Rs 68,000 from Sacred Heart Convent School, Majitha. On January 7, Rs 30,000 was found missing from the locker at Sacred Convent School in Beas. Thieves reportedly broke into St Mary’s Convent School, Chamiyari, on January 10 but could not steal anything, police said.

In Tarn Taran district, on January 13, thieves allegedly stole Rs 45,000 from Sacred Heart School, Harike. On Saturday, thieves broke into Assumption Convent School, Sito Guno Road, at Abohar in Fazilka district. They escaped with Rs 8,000.

Father Roby Kolencherry, representative of Diocesan Education Board, Jalandhar, said he feels that “some anti-religious elements” are involved in these incidents.

But SSP Amritsar Rural Jagdeep Singh rejected the role of any “religious fundamentalist group”.

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Our Take: Coincidence. We don't think so. 

Incidents against the Christian community in October 2015 as reported by Evangelical Fellowship of India

Introductory Note EFI News October 2015

The Evangelical Fellowship of India has recorded at least 23 verified incidents targeting the Christian community in the months of September - October 2015. This includes one person being killed by unidentified people in Jharkhand while other incidents like arrests on cooked up charges and attacks on individual Christians and worship services continued. At least one act of vandalism of a cemetery was reported from Karnataka.

Most of the incidents came from the central Indian states of Madhya Pradesh (11 incidents) and Chhattisgarh (5 incidents). Jharkhand reported two incidents, Delhi, one; Uttar Pradesh, one, Punjab, one; Gujarat, one and Karnataka reported one incident.

Majority of the incidents centered on the tribal belts of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand with tribal Christians bearing the brunt of most of the violence.

These incidents of hate crime and violence against the Christian minority are at best a partial indicator of the situation of Christians in the country for many incidents are not even reported. The Evangelical Fellowship of India urges the central government and the respective state governments to look into these incidents and take steps to check the hate and ensure justice and protection for the minority community.

Christian Cemetery Vandalised in Belgaum, Karnataka

September 7, 2015: A cemetery in Belgaum of Karnataka was found vandalized on September 7, 2015 when a group of people went to bury their dead. According to reports in the media, the vandals have uprooted more than a dozen crosses, broke up some gravestones and dig up some graves. The incident happened at Bharatnagar of Shahapur area, which is about 2kms from Belgaum city.

Three Christians including two pastors jailed at Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh

September 8, 2015: Three Christians including two pastors are in jail in Jagdalpur, Bastar district since September 8, 2015. Pastor Loknath Baghel, Pastor Suddu Baghel, and Tikaram Netam of Barpaguda village of Bastar district were arrested after they opposed the takeover of their village land. The land in question has been used as a graveyard in the past and now has been marked by the government authorities that want to develop a pond there. A FIR was filed against the Pastors when the villagers opposed the takeover of land. The sessions court has rejected the bail application for the Pastors twice.

Church members brutally attacked by Hindu extremists at Bastar, Chhattisgarh

September 8, 2015: Christian villagers in Karmari village, district Bastar, Chhattisgarh were brutally attacked by Hindu extremists following the passing of a resolution in the village banning all non-Hindu religious activities. A mob of over 50 Hindu radicals gathered and surrounded a Church building around 4 pm on September 8, 2015. Before any of the Christians could even ask what was happening, the radicals attacked, assaulting Christians with wooden clubs and sticks. When some women from the Church confronted the radicals, they too were brutally beaten with wooden clubs and fists. Two Christian women, Pulo Bhai and Ludri were seriously injured in the assault and lost consciousness. As Christians in Karmari village face a social boycott, life has become very difficult for them.

House Church Service stopped at Palian Kalan, Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh

September 13, 2015: Pastor Durgesh Yadav of Palian Kalan, Lakhimpur Kheri district, Uttar Pradesh was threatened by a mob of around 200-250 people led by local RSS and BJP leaders during Sunday worship service on 13 September 2015 at 11:00 am. The mob wanted him to stop conducting worship in the area. The house Church of about 100 members has stopped worship as of now because of the threats received. Pastor Yadav has filed a complained to the Palia Kalan police station but the police have not yet lodged the FIR against the local leaders.

Pastor and wife detained and interrogated by Police alleging force conversions at Chandia, Umaria, Madhya Pradesh

September 18, 2015: Pastor Gaya Prasad Dharwiya and his wife, from Shahdol district, Madhya Pradesh were apprehended and threatened by a local RSS leader who was accompanied by the police. The Pastor and his wife were returning from a friend's house at Chandia town of Umria District, Madhya Pradesh. The RSS leader and the policemen forcibly took the couple to the Chandia Police Station without assigning any reason and detained them there for more than eleven hours before letting them go late in the night. The Superintendent of Police, Umria District ordered Pastor Dharviya and his wife to be present at the Chandia Police Station next morning at 10:00AM.

Christians Beaten Up, Chased Out from Home in Chhattisgarh

September 22, 2015: In Kongud, Kondagoan, Chhatisgarh, Hindu extremists beat up two Christian siblings after they refused to renounce Christ. The extremists summoned Mankuram Singh and his brother to a Hindu temple and asked them to renounce Christ However, the Christians refused and the mob thereafter started to beat them up, accused them of being involved in forceful conversions and proceeded to vandalize their home. The attackers later locked up their home and chased them out of the village. The brothers submitted a police complaint with the help of area Christian leaders, but the police did not register a case against the attackers and the extremists are threatening to harm them if they do not withdraw their complaint.

Delhi, Pastor threatened to stop Church service

September 27, 2015: September 27, 2015: Pastor Pradeep Kumar in Matiala, Uttam Nagar, New Delhi was manhandled and threatened by some of his neighbors who were led by local Hindu extremists. The attackers wanted to stop the Sunday Church service that was going on.

Three Christians arrested for alleged forced conversions in Satna, Madhya Pradesh 

October 3, 2015: Madhya Pradesh police arrested three evangelists accusing them of proselytizing and forced conversions. The arrest took place at a school located at Majhgawan, a small town in Satna district. The three Stephen Rajkumar, 40; Harilal 20; and Anil Kumar have been charged under the Madhya Pradesh freedom of religion act. The police also confiscated Bibles, books, CDs and projectors that were with them. 

26 Christian Families threatened with boycott and ouster from the village at Betul, Madhya Pradesh 

October 3, 2015: Suraj Sariyam, a Christian from Chattarpur, Ghoda Dongri, Betul district was threatened and harassed by local Hindu leader Kailash Sariyam alias Gabba on October 3, 2015. Gabba not only stopped Suraj from enter his own paddy field but also did not allow him to take water for next two days from the village river. The village has 26 Christian families. On October 5, 2015 the village council summoned all the Christian families for a hearing. Orders were also issued to the villagers to boycott all the Christian families. Villagers were told not to provide basic facilities like water etc. to the Christians. But due to police intervention the hearing could not take place. The Christians in the village are still getting threats from Hindu extremists and are living in danger.

Christian family pressured and threatened for Ghar Wapsi (re-conversion) at Satna, MP

October 5, 2015: A group of 15 Hindu extremists trespassed into the home of a Christian family at Motwa village in Satna district of Madhya Pradesh and threatened them. The extremists were pressurizing the family to do a 'Ghar Wapsi' (homecoming). This family had accepted Christianity 5 years ago. The extremists threatened the family and warned them not to partake in Christian worship service.

Pastor, his pregnant wife, and their 11-month-old baby beaten at Kapurthala, Punjab 

October 8, 2015: Pastor Arvinder Singh and his family were brutally beaten up to the point of  death by a mob that included his neighbours in Phagwara city of Kapurthala district, Punjab. Pastor Arvinder was hit with an iron object on his head, which made him unconscious for a couple of hours. His wife, who was seven months pregnant, was manhandled and struck many times over on her stomach by the mob. The couple's 11-month baby boy was also thrown at pile of bricks, which caused him serious internal injuries. No FIR has been registered till date.

Pastor's mother pelted with stones in Dahod, Gujarat

October 12, 2015: Dasudi Ben Bhuriya (58), mother of Pastor Rajesh Bhuriya was at tacked and pelted with stones by 6-7 Hindu extremists, on October 12, at Bilwani village of Dahod district. She was admitted at the Bilwani hospital as a result of the attack for treatment of her injuries.

Pastor Shot Dead in Jharkhand  

October 13, 2015: Pastor Chamu Hasda Purty of the Pentecostal Church at Sandih, Khunti district was killed as unidentified people opened gunfire at him after entering his house. The murder took place in the late evening of October 13. Pastor Chamu Hasda Purty was well respected and valued by the local community.

Christians summoned at Police station for questioning on false charges of Conversion at Betul, MP 

October 17, 2015: Two Christians, Yuvraj and Kumar Singh were taken to the Bhimpur Police station in Betul district for questioning after local Hindu extremists complained against them alleging religious conversions. Christians have been gathering as a Church conducting regular Sunday worship at Bhimpur village for more than a year now but they are getting regular threats from local Hindu groups to close down the Church and move out of the village.

Christians detained at police station on the complaint of Bajrang Dal and VHP members in Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh

October 17, 2015: Members of Bajrang Dal attacked a prayer meeting near Rajnandgaon and beat up the preacher Dev Kumar Sahu on October 17, 2015. The meeting was held at the house of Mr. Lalit Sahu and about 50 Christians were in attendance when more than 20 armed members of the Bajrang Dal trespassed into the private property of Mr. Lalit Sahu and started pushing people and beat up the preacher. The police carried the Christians to the police station for questioning and they were let off later after EFI and other local Christian leaders intervened.

Christian meeting disrupted in Dalli Rajhara, Chhattisgarh

October 21, 2015: A prayer meeting organized at the home of Mrs. Dhaneswari Sahu was disrupted by member of the Dharm Jagran Samiti along with some representatives of the Sahu community who were angry that the family had started organizing Christian prayer meetings at their home since last many months. According to reports when the prayer meeting was going on, members of the Dharm Jagran Samiti and representatives of the Sahu community arrived at the house of Mrs. Dhaneswari Sahu in an inebriated state. They created a ruckus and stopped the prayer meeting. They accused the Christians of conversions and also charged them with scheming alleging that the Christians wanted to demolish the nearby temple. The Christians have not reported the matter to the police.

Christians arrested in Kanhiwada, Madhya Pradesh 

October 25, 2015: A Christian woman and a man were arrested by the police from a private prayer meeting at Bhatekhari village after a local Hindu leader complained against them alleging conversions through allurement. Mrs. Anjana Jharia and Mr. Manish Yadav were speaking at a private prayer meeting organized at the house of a Christian, when the police arrested them on the complaint of one Ashok Baghel. There is no evidence of Mr. Ashok Baghel even being present in the meeting according to local Christians. They were charged with sections 3 and 4 of the MP Freedom of Religion Act and under sections 506 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. They were later bailed out.

Christians including children arrested in Junardeo, Madhya Pradesh

October 25, 2015: At least 8 Christians plus two children were arrested from Silvada, Junnardeo on cooked up charges of forced conversion and of hurting religious sentiments this included a family from Bhopal who had come down to Junnardeo for their vacations. Pastor A J Thomas, his wife, and two children, John (14) and Kezia (12) were among the people arrested. Pastor Thomas and his wife were later put in a jail in Junnardeo while their children were taken to Chhindwara which is 50 kilometres away. Later the children were separated and while Kezia was sent to Shahdol (421 Kilometres away), John was sent to Narsinghpur (125 Kilometres away), where they await their bail till the writing of this story. Their parents have been bailed out. 

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Christian groups allege forced conversions in Bathinda

BATHINDA: Christian organizations have taken a strong note of forcible attempts of conversions of their community members into Hindu fold. They have asked the Union and state government to look into such misadventure against the minorities and stop Hindu groups from forcing minorities to convert.

Nearly 50 pastors, representatives of United Christian Welfare Association (UCWA), Pastor Fellowship Association and Punjab Christian Movement assembled in Bathinda on Saturday and denounced the efforts of conversions in the name of 'ghar wapsi' by some Hindu outfits.

Christian representatives termed 'ghar wapsi' as a planned attack on the minorities. They alleged the Christian missionaries were being stopped from spreading their religion whereas preachers of other religions were indulging in such activities openly.

UCWA president George C Masih said, "We have never taken any such step which could be termed as anti-national. We are being seen as anti-national and allegations are levelled against us that we lure people to convert to Christianity, which is vague."

VHP'S Bathinda unit claims Sran expelled:

Division came to fore in the Vishwa Hindu Parishad in Bathinda. Some VHP leaders of Bathinda assembled on Saturday and asserted that Sukhpal Sran, who claims to be state secretary of the organization, had been expelled. VHP Bathinda chief Sham Lal said Sran was not the state secretary as he had been expelled for not taking them into confidence for 'ghar wapsi (homecoming) programme, which proved to be a failure.

On the other hand, Sran claimed he was still the VHP state secretary and the district unit has no right to remove him. When contacted, VHP national secretary Khem Chand said, "Sran has not been expelled. The district unit has no right to remove a state office-bearer of VHP. Bathinda unit should restrain from indulging in such debate."

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VHP reconversions in Punjab a flop show

BATHINDA: Vishwa Hindu Parishad's much-hyped "ghar wapsi" function at Bathinda, aimed at bringing back Christians to the Hindu and Sikh fold, was a non-starter. With no member of the community turning up for the proposed conversions on Friday, the Hindu organisation put off the homecoming ceremony indefinitely.

The 'ghar wapsi' was on Thursday deferred by a day. The Hindu organization had been making efforts for the last many days for re-conversion of nearly 100 families.

"With only two families turning up for 'ghar wapsi', we have decided to defer it for an indefinite period. We are taking up the matter with our senior leadership, including central leader Khem Chand, for a new date," said VHP state secretary Sukhpal Sran. He alleged that the Akali leaders had asked the administration and police to foil conversion attempts due to strained SAD-BJP ties.

Sources said VHP activists made efforts to prevail upon some Christian families from Jangirana, Gobindpura, Raike and Naruana villages and Rampura Phul town, but none of them turned up. VHP also tried to rope in four pastors to convert Christians to Hinduism and Sikhism.

United Christian Welfare Front president George Masih alleged, "They are targeting not only Christians but Muslims also. A couple of Christian families had contacted me saying that they were being asked to convert but they had refused to do so." George said religious bodies must avoid the misadventure of forced conversions, and if someone wanted to embrace another faith, they had no objection to it.

Punjab cabinet minister Sikandar Singh Maluka denied that SAD-BJP ties had come in the way of conversions in Bathinda. He said, "There was no pressure against any family to convert or vice versa."

Bathinda senior superintendent of police Inder Mohan Singh said, "Police had no role in the conversion ceremony. We didn't put pressure on anyone to convert or not."

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Now, Sikh ‘ghar wapsi’ in Akali turf: RSS ‘reconverts’ 40 Christian families

Extending its ‘ghar wapsi’ campaign to Punjab where NDA partner Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) heads the ruling alliance, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) oversaw the “reconversion” Tuesday of 40 Mazhabi Sikh families who had embraced Christianity.

RSS cadres raised cries of “Jo Bole So Nihaal”, which was repeated by boys of the “reconverted” families, as they “returned” to the Sikh fold at a ceremony at Jivan Singh gurdwara in Guru-ki-Wadali, Amritsar.

Dinesh, Punjab head of the Samanvaya Samiti of the RSS, told the gathering: “We have resolved we will not allow even one gurdwara in Punjab to close because of Sikhs embracing Christianity.”

Claiming that 40 per cent of Mazhabi Sikhs — it is recognised as a Scheduled Caste — in Punjab’s border belt had converted to Christianity, Dinesh said volunteers had stepped up efforts to return to the Sikh fold many of the converts.

The ceremony was held days after Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal criticised forcible religious conversion.

Balwinder Singh, a Sikh preacher from Anandpur Sahib, conducted the ceremony in which “reconverts” were handed saffron scarves, a locket with a Sikh symbol and a gutka (a small book containing banis from Sikh scriptures).

Leafing through the gutka, 60-year-old Gurmel Kaur, who had embraced Christianity 20 years ago, asked reporters if she would get old-age pension now. Another “reconvert”, Rajinder Singh, a rickshaw-puller, said he had become a Christian four years ago “because of an illness in the family” and “they told me they would cure my wife”.

Sikh preachers at the ceremony told the “reconverts” that they “no longer need to go to Christian missionaries for treatment of ailments”.

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In Punjab, Sangh works for ‘return’ to Sikhism as well; SAD fumes

By Chander Suta Dogra

The RSS and its affiliates are engaged in a massive “ghar wapsi” programme to get Christians back — not just to Hinduism, but also to Sikhism, in Punjab. They claim to have helped some 8,000 people ‘return home’ in the last three years, some 3,500 of them over the last one year.

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), an ally of the BJP, has frowned on the Sangh’s activity. The SAD sees Dalit Christians as a vote bank, and has been wooing them assiduously. At a function in Gurdaspur on Thursday, Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal announced “Masihi bhawans” for Christians in all districts, and assured them that the “forcible conversions” that are happening in other parts of the country would not be permitted in Punjab.

The city of Amritsar is currently dotted with hoardings of Akali leaders with an image of Jesus in the background, wishing people a “Happy Christmas”.

The RSS — which is usually viewed with suspicion by orthodox Sikhs because of the Sangh position that Sikhism is part of the larger Hindu culture — has enabled hundreds of Christians to re-convert to Sikhism with the help of gurdwaras and some members of the SAD-dominated Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), who have been acting in their personal capacity.

One such member, Kiranjot Kaur, who has been instrumental in holding several recent ‘ghar wapsi’ ceremonies at gurdwaras, told The Indian Express, “The situation is so alarming that even Sikhs in Amritsar, which is the seat of Sikhism, are converting. We are a small minority, and we should be worried. Because of the politicisation of the SGPC, the religious agenda which it should be actively promoting has got diluted. The RSS does not mind people re-converting to Sikhism because it sees Hindus and Sikhs as members of the same family.”

RSS leader Ram Gopal, who heads the organisation’s Dharm Jagran unit in the state, said, “We are trying to halt the march of Christianity in Punjab, and re-convert people to their original religion, which could be Hinduism or Sikhism. We discovered villages where gurdwaras were locked because the entire population had converted. This should also worry the Sikh religious leadership.”

Reached for a comment, SGPC spokesperson Dalmegh Singh said the ninth Sikh Guru, Tegh Bahadur, had given his life to prevent conversions, and the SGPC was not part of any programme to get Christians into Sikhism.

Meanwhile, emboldened by its success, the Sangh is for the first time holding a series of ‘dharm jagran’ yatras across the border districts of Punjab over the next one month, where it will showcase individuals who have ‘returned’, and conduct more ‘ghar wapsi’ ceremonies. The yatras will touch gurdwaras and Valmiki temples, and local granthis have been contacted to assist in the ceremonies.

At Mohan Nagar, a Dalit basti in Khemkaran where almost 70 per cent of inhabitants are Christians, Kinder Kaur, a widow who has reconverted, said, “We converted (to Christianity) because we were told that my husband would be cured of his illness. He died in 2011.
Three months ago, the RSS motivated us to become Sikhs again. I have also changed the names of my children from Thomas and Rebecca to Sumeet and Kuljit.”

At the small village of Machike, 3 km from the border, 60-year-old Gandhi Ram, a daily-wager, said he was born to Christian parents. “We were originally Valmikis. Now after my ‘ghar wapsi’, we worship according to Hindu rituals.”

Most recent ‘ghar wapsis’ are taking place in the Mazhabi Sikh community. Converts to Christianity are returning to gurdwaras, whereas Valmiki converts are re-converting to Hinduism. The RSS has also identified communities like the Rai Sikhs, the Mahasha biradari and Ravi Dassias, from where individuals converted to Christianity.

Says Dinesh, who heads the ‘ghar wapas pariyojana’ in Punjab, “It is only last year that we took up the Punjab project in earnest. We have done a strategic caste-wise exercise to see which areas require urgent attention.”

Hoshiarpur district has seen the most ‘ghar wapsis’, followed by Amritsar and Batala. Ceremonies take place throughout the year in gurdwaras and temples, mostly in the impoverished pockets of border districts like Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Ferozepur.

Since caste discrimination against Dalits is perceived to be the main reason for the conversions, the RSS has begun involving upper caste dominated Hindu organisations and institutions in Dalit programmes. “Some Valmiki youth are also being identified for training as pujaris, and will be given charge of temples in the state,” says Dinesh.

Volunteers describe Christian schools as “dens of conversion”. Gandhi Ram’s ‘ghar wapsi’ involved participating in a havan in a temple, where a priest did the ‘mukti mala path’ for the small group of 20 people who ‘returned’ that day. He was given a locket with Om on it, and ‘ganga jal’ was sprinkled on him.

Those ‘returning’ to Sikhism are taken to a gurdwara where they seek forgiveness for straying from their religion. They are then honoured with a siropa, and the granthi conducts a paath for them.

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Shiv Sena gets involved in Church property dispute, claims conversion

The ongoing land dispute between the Kalvari church management and one Rajan T Singh took another turn on Thursday as the Shiv Sena along with other Hindu organisations protested in front of division number 2 police station.

The protesters alleged religious conversions and said that Christians were forcing them to change their religion. To maintain law and order, heavy police security was deployed around the church and police station.

The allegation came two days after Rajan T Singh, a police constable, along with Shiv Sena activists tried to attack the church and pastor Darbara Singh alleged that the church management had grabbed his piece of land.

An FIR was registered against 15-18 members of the Shiv Sena on the complaint of Daniel, the present caretaker of the land in question.

On Thursday, pastor Darbara Singh met Police Commissioner Pramod Ban and demanded a fair inquiry into the case. The inquiry was marked to ACP (central) and division number 2 SHO Gurpreet Singh said that no arrests had been made in the case so far.

Meanwhile, a woman called Rani Pal, who protested along with the Shiv Sena, got an FIR registered against priest Afzal Chaudhary and Sri Nath, alleging that they forced her to change her religion from Hindu to Christianity.

“The woman alleged that on December 9, she was forced to undergo religion conversion and both the accused tried to lure her with money, a new home and free treatment at Christian Medical College and Hospital,” said SHO Gurpreet Singh.

Police registered the FIR against Chaudhary and Sri Nath under Section 295 of the IPC. The SHO said that they were yet to make any arrest in the case.

Asgar Masih, legal advisor of the church, said, “Afzal Chaudhary had some old dispute with the church management but later he entered a compromise. Now Shiv Sena is deliberately getting him into the picture to defame the church management.”

Pastor Darbara Singh said that “police commissioner has assured him of a free and fair inquiry into the case”.

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Church converted to Sikh temple in Punjab

Bajrang Dal activists converted a Christian church into a gurudwara in Lehragaga of Sangrur district of Punjab on April 10, 2007. Later Sikh leaders came to the rescue of the Christians.

Sources told the All India Christian Council (aicc) that Pastor Malok Singh from Lehragaga was falsely accused of rape by Bajrang Dal activists. He was arrested under 109 section of the India Penal Code (IPC) on April 10, 2007 and remained in jail until he was bailed after 9 days.

In connection with the allegation against Pastor Singh, Bajrang Dal activists numbering over 100 came and attacked the church. Aicc was told that church furniture was broken and musical instruments were stolen, A Granth Sahib (Sikh religious scripture) was placed inside the church, holy reading of Granth Sahib was conducted, and church signboard was changed into Gurudwara Sahib.

It has also been reported that Bibles were torn inside the church and large number of Christian literature was taken by two lorries to undisclosed place and reportedly burned.

A source said that Sikh leaders along with police personnel restored the church by removing the Granth Sahib placed inside the church.

Church members have filed a complaint against the Bajrang Dal activists at Lehragaga Police Station for provoking enmity among two religions of Christianity and Sikhism. The complaint against the culprits was lodged under the IPC sections 295, 452, 447, 506, 148, and 149 on April 11, 2007.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Mr. Balraj Singh reported to the aicc that the District Magistrate has set up an enquiry commission under the leadership of Sunam Sub-Divisional Magistrate to submit a report within two weeks.

No arrests of Bajrang Dal activists have been reported, while pastor Singh was arrested within short time of the complaint against him.

Pastor Singh reported to the aicc that he was severely beaten up in the police station and forced him to accept the allegation against him. He said that a girl was brought by Bajrang Dal activists to his house and then Bajrang Dal activists locked the door from the outside and accused him of rape.

According to a source, Bajrang Dal had a meeting at Lehragaga on April 18, 2007 and submitted a memorandum to the District Magistrate to sack the District Superintendent of Police for performing his assigned duty to protect the Christian minorities.

Rashtriya Swayamseva Sangh, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal and Bharatiya Janata Party activists have been telling Sikh communities the false allegation that Christians are forcefully converting Sikh communities into Christianity. Hindutva leaders have called for an anti-conversion law in the state of Punjab.

Press Release by Rev. Madhu Chandra of AICC