CHANDIGARH: There are allegations that conversion is rampant in the state.
The issue of Sikhs converting into Christianity in Punjab has been almost completely absent in mainstream, including media, discourse this election season.
A surge in conversion activities has not been without consequences. Incidents such as the attack on a church in Tarn Taran city and the subsequent tensions in the area highlight the volatility surrounding the matter. Further exacerbating tensions are the legal battles between religious factions, as seen in the case of Nihang Sikhs attempting to thwart these alleged conversions, resulting in FIRs and legal disputes.
Specific case studies, such as Pastor Ankur Narula’s ministry in Khambra village of Jalandhar district, are being used by critics to provide insight into the rapid pace at which conversions are occurring, with memberships swelling to over 3 lakh in just 14 years.
On 25 April 2023, teams of the Income-Tax Department simultaneously raided a dozen locations, including the church—alleged to be worth Rs 2,000 crore—being constructed by Narula along the Jalandhar-Nakodar road. IT teams also inspected the Church of Signs and Wonders, operating under the Pentecostal Church led by Narula. Around six in the morning on 25 April 2023, IT teams, along with Central Reserve Police Force personnel, reached Narula’s residence located within the church premises.
People present inside the church were detained. CRPF personnel were deployed at the main entrance of the church, and no one was allowed to enter or leave. However, no official information was provided by the IT regarding the case. The IT carried out raids twice consecutively regarding financial transactions. Prior to this, a raid was conducted on 31 January as well. At that time, inspections were conducted in the premises of two other churches being run by Pastor Bajinder Singh of Jalandhar and Harpreet Deol of Kapurthala. This raid took place at a time when many pastors were organizing weekly meetings in their respective churches. Ankur Narula, who is alleged to have claimed miraculous healing during treatment, started the construction of the church with three people in the village of Khambra on the Jalandhar-Nakodar road in 2008.
According to the church’s website, construction of the church began in 2008, and promotion on internet commenced simultaneously. In 2009, the number of people associated with the church was 500. This number increased to 8,000 in 2010-11, then to 18,000 in 2012-13, and to 25,000 in 2015. By 2016, it had reached 60,000. However, by 2022, the number had exceeded 3 lakh.
Meanwhile, a few religious leaders are raising concerns about alleged conversion activities in Punjab. According to reports, there have been allegations of fear tactics, such as spreading rumours about cancer, death in the family, and terminal diseases, to convert the local population. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) registered a case against Pastor Bajinder Singh for operating a conversion mission in Punjab. Moreover, there have been instances where Sikhs who converted to Christianity were brought back to Sikhism by Sikh preachers. In 2022, the then chief of Akal Takht, Giani Harpreet Singh raised concerns over “conversions” of Sikhs on what was claimed to be false promises of treating illnesses.
Unfortunate incidents have also occurred, such as the attack on a church in Punjab’s Tarn Taran city following allegations of mass conversion. The tension in the area escalated, leading to police investigations. The issue of conversions has been raised by then Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh, who condemned such activities. However, Shiromani Akali Dal senior leader Daljit Cheema while describing it as propaganda, denied the existence of Sikh conversions to Christianity in Punjab, while BJP Punjab media chief Vineet Joshi, while expressing concern over the matter, suggested a judicious approach to addressing it.