UP Court takes stern steps against religious conversions

Freedom of expression is a fundamental right in India. It is unconstitutional to force anyone for anything. The same is true regarding Conversions. The so-called secularists are expected to speak if it is right to convert people on a large-scale with various means, including force. Don’t the media see such conversions when they accuse Hindus of being intolerant, or are they conveniently overlooking such conversions to suit their personal agendas ?

1. Police register cases against Christians who were trying to convert 90 Hindus

A case has been filed against Bhanu Pratap Singh and others at Fatehpur in Uttar Pradesh for converting Hindus. The Sessions Court refused to grant anticipatory bail to the accused; therefore, some of the accused applied to the High Court for bail. Bhanu Pratap Singh and others are associated with ‘The Evangelical Church of India’, Harihar Ganj, Fatehpur and they tried to lure 90 Hindus for adopting Christianity. As such, a case has been registered against them under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code, and Sections 3 and 5(1) of ‘Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance 2020’.

The complainant, Himanshu Dixit, said that the innocent patients admitted to the ‘Mission Hospital’ were promised that their ailments would be cured, their children would be educated in good schools for free; they were also offered financial help and jobs to family members; hence, he has lodged a complaint.

According to Himanshu Dixit, some missionaries of the ‘Evangelical Church of India’ came together at a venue of a religious programme with the ulterior motive of converting Hindu patients and their relatives. On the basis of the complaint, the Police conducted an inquiry of a few persons when they realised the true motive of Pastor Vijay Messiah, Bhanu Pratap Singh and others was to convert people. Hence, the Police filed criminal cases against them.

2. Argument by Government pleader to prevent the accused from getting bail

While opposing the grant of bail to the accused, it was argued on behalf of the Government that the co-accused getting bail or no earlier criminal record of the applicants, cannot be the yardstick for the decision. The process of conversion was going on, on a large scale. 35 people out of the accused (against whom a case has been filed) wanted to convert 90 people. Pastor Vijay Messiah was offering financial and medical aid to the patients admitted to the ‘Mission Hospital’ and encouraging people to convert.

While giving evidence before the Court, Pramod Kumar Dixit and others said that the accused promised jobs and medical aid to those 90 people. There was even a woman with them. This woman had told the Hindus that they would be issued a new ‘Aadhaar Card’ which would mention their new religion. The witnesses interrogated by the Police said that a Hindu named Shrikrushna was given a new ‘Aadhaar Card’ in the name of Kishen Joseph by replacing his old Card. This is a huge plot of conversion on which investigations are still going on. Therefore, the accused should not be granted bail since it was not a case that involved 1 or 2 people, but it is a big plot to convert people. Granting them bail will create problems for the Police in their work. Bail should not be granted just as a routine or a practice. The Court then refused bail to Bhanu Pratap Singh.

3. Christians raise slogans against the Police

Some Hindus went to the Police station to register a case when many Christians gathered there and started raising slogans against the Police, leading to a law and order problem. (21.01.2023)

II Shrikrushnarpanamastu II
– H.H. (Adv.) Suresh Kulkarni, Bombay High Court (21.1.2023)

Secularists are expected to speak if it is right to convert people on a large-scale with various means, including force !