Pastor along with 50 others arrested for religious conversion in Mau (Uttar Pradesh)

Editorial Comment

  • There is no anti-conversion law in the country, so Christian missionaries are going on a rampage.

Mau (Uttar Pradesh) – Police in Uttar Pradesh’s Mau has taken several people into custody after receiving complaints from members of a Hindu group that they were allegedly involved in converting people to Christianity

A news agency and a Hindu newspaper have reported on the incident.

The Mau District in-charge of Hindu Jagran Manch (HJM), Bhanu Pratap Singh, and other members complained to the Police that a Pastor had organised a prayer meet at a man’s house in Sahadatpura Colony. HJM reached out to the Police following a ruckus by residents of the area who had objected to the prayer meet. Among those detained are the owner of the house and the Pastor. The complainants had alleged that they were forcibly converting people.

The news agency also quoted unnamed Police sources to say that neighbours had been complaining about the assembly since they believed that illegal religious conversions were being done.

However, Police told the news outlets that investigation is on as to whether this is a veritable claim. Dhananjay Mishra, Deputy Superintendent of Police, told the news agency that several people were questioned. Seven people have reportedly been booked under the Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Ordinance, 2020, which was brought with an ordinance last year.

The law is called the ‘Love Jihad’ law – referring to its intention to curb the conspiracy among the Muslims to convert Hindu women through marriage.

The Uttar Pradesh incident comes at a time when a mob of over 200 people attacked a Roorkee church in the neighbouring Uttarakhand.