Hindu Activists Protest Against Christian Prayer Rally

Hindu activists forced their way into a large Christian gathering on Sunday after hundreds of worshippers had come from towns and villages in India’s Uttar Pradesh state to take part in a prayer rally.

“These Christian rallies are aimed at conversions,” the activists said, according to AsiaNews. “These Fathers lure the people with gifts of land, money, food and clothes. We strongly protest against such conversions; we are prepared to fight against such tactics of forced conversions”.

When questioned by the police, Rev Rajendra Prasad, a Protestant minister who had organized the event in Lucknow, said, “It is true that I am preaching in the name of Christ, but I am not converting anybody. I neither guarantee, nor promise healing.”

“These poor villagers come to my conventions because they receive some consolation and are treated with dignity,” Prasad explained. “Why doesn’t the Bajrang Dal do anything to help these marginalized people?” [All] the fundamentalists want [is for them] to remain as a depressed class of society so that they can exploit them.”

As for the accusations of tricking people into conversion, Prasad responded, “I only conduct prayer meeting in Christ’s name. I repeat: no forced conversions go on. I offer my service to these poor villagers [...] free of charge, I demand nothing from them”.

Catholic Bishop of Lucknow Bishop Albert D’Souza, who was not present during the rally, told AsiaNews that relations between the Church and the Uttar Pradesh state authorities were “cordial”. Although there was no evidence of unethical conversion during Sunday’s rally, D’Souza stressed the need for vigilance against attempts to trick peasants into converting with promises of gifts of food and clothing during mass rallies.

However, even those churches that try to avoid being accused of unethical conversion by being committed only to human development projects such as schools, hospitals and dispensaries, have reportedly come under activist fire.