Police stopped a church event in Maharajganj district in eastern Uttar Pradesh, attended by more than 150 people, including 10 American tourists, after Hindu Yuva Vahini (HYV) alleged that religious conversion was being carried out. The mass was held there quite often but as this time foreigners were involved, the HYV suspected that conversion was going on.
The Hindu Yuva Vahini was set up in 2002 by Yogi Adityanath. HYV filed a complaint against the pastor of the church accusing him of converting Hindus to Christianity. Police stopped the prayer meeting after the complaint and a probe is underway. The US tourists, including a few women, were let off after police checked their travel documents.
“The presence of US nationals indicates that innocent and illiterate Hindus were being converted by missionaries who lured them with money to change their religion,” alleged HYV leader Krishna Nandan, who surrounded the church with his supporters yesterday afternoon. They dispersed after police promised a probe and adequate action even as the church authorities dismissed allegations of conversion.
HYV, which has a widespread network in eastern Uttar Pradesh, has alleged that Hindus are lured to Christianity through religious functions.
“We have received several inputs that Christian preachers and priests hold such religious ceremonies in rural areas and secret locations in which Hindus are brought and motivated to join Christianity, through allurements including cash. We will not let this happen,” HYV president Sunil Singh alleged.
“They can hold their prayers inside churches or their homes but not any place outside. We have alerted the district administration in various places about such ceremonies slated to be held and if such functions do happen, churches would not be safe,” he warned.
Singh said HYV has a youth member in each village in various districts of eastern Uttar Pardesh and keeps getting inputs about such happenings.
