People are being ‘persuaded’ to convert on a large scale in the border villages of Punjab.
CHANDIGARH: Missionaries’ “Mission Conversion” has gained momentum in Punjab, it is being alleged by some Sikh communities, who have released data to claim that 40% of Sikhs in villages have been converted to Christianity by spreading the fear of cancer, death in the family, terminal diseases, etc. Children are being used to spread such rumours and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) recently registered a case against pastor Bajinder Singh for operating a conversion mission in Punjab. Recently, more than 40 Sikhs who had converted were brought back to Sikhism by Sikh preachers.
An unfortunate fallout of this is that a church was attacked in Punjab’s Tarn Taran city following allegations of mass conversion, and the pastor’s car burnt on 31 August. Four people ransacked the church in Tarn Taran on 30 August night. Two accused can be seen on CCTV. Following the incident, there is an atmosphere of tension in the area and several police teams are on patrol. Local police are investigation the matter.
The incident took place in Thakarpur village of Patti, the Assembly constituency of Tarn Taran district. The incident happened on the day the Akal Takht Jathedar raised the issue of “forced conversions” by Christian missionaries.
The incident happened after Akal Takht’s caretaker Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh announced support to Nihang leader Baba Major Singh and around 150 of his supporters, after an FIR was registered against them on the complaint of a Christian leader at Jandiala police station. The police had registered the FIR under Sections 295, 296, 427, 148, and 149 of the IPC for stopping religious conversions. The incident of the Nihangs trying to stop the alleged conversion took place in Dadduana village in Amritsar.
Giani Harpreet Singh, Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, has alleged that by conducting programmes in rural areas, missionaries are freely converting people and this was opposed by Nihang Sikhs. After this, on the complaint of the pastor, a case was registered against Nihang leader Baba Major Singh and 150 of his colleagues. Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh condemned the filing a case against Nihang Sikhs. Giani Harpreet Singh has demanded that the case registered against Baba Major Singh and his supporters be quashed because they were only opposing forced conversion. Singh further said that the law did not allow forcible conversion, but, surprisingly, people are being forced to convert on a large scale in the border areas of Punjab, he alleged. This has been denied by the missionaries concerned. He demanded the intervention of the Central government, adding: “The Punjab government should immediately quash the case against Nihangs as the Sikh community stands with them. We have called a meeting at Sri Anandpur Sahib on 5 September and a resolution will be passed after discussion on the issue.” Allegations are that the families of Sikhs and Hindus belonging to Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes are being targeted.
Meanwhile, Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami said that it was very unfortunate that a case was filed against Nihang Sikhs for trying to stop some persons working for religious conversion in village Dadduana on Mehta Road. He said the Punjab government should immediately cancel the case registered against the Nihang Sikhs who raised their voice to stop conversion and take strict action. BJP’s state secretary Sukhpal Singh Saran has also demanded the cancellation of the case registered by the police against Nihang Sikhs who prevented religious conversion.