Uttarakhand: Hindu Mob disrupts Christmas celebrations on suspicion of forced conversion

Dozens of youth armed with sticks attacked a Christian celebration for, what they alleged, converting Hindus into the Christianity on Friday at a function in Purola village of Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand.

The men claimed to belong to a Hindu organisation and targeted Pastor Lazarus Cornelius and his wife Sushma Cornelius. Interestingly, the police detained the detained the Pastor and his wife over allegations of “forced conversions” but later released them, saying the matter had been amicably resolved.

The attack at Hope and Life Centre in the village, which is around 150 km from state capital Dehradun, took place around noon two days prior to Christmas. The pastor belongs to Union Church, Mussoorie, and was leading prayers when the mob barged in and disrupted the celebrations, NDTV reported.

The BJP-led state government had recently passed an anti-conversion Bill in the assembly. The people from Christian religion suffered a spate of attacks, all on charges of “forced conversion”.

The BJP government recently presented an anti-conversion Bill in the assembly that has been passed and got the Governor’s assent today.

The Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Act, 2022, makes unlawful religious conversion a cognisable and non-bailable offence punishable with imprisonment for a term of at least three years and a maximum of 10 years. Besides, an offender will be liable to pay a fine of at least Rs 50,000 and a compensation of up to Rs 5 lakh to the victim.

While civil society organizations and members of minority communities have criticized the government for the move raising apprehensions that such law will only be selectively targeted against them, the government argued that the “forced conversion” is damaging the social and cultural ethos. Notably, the Supreme Court has recently also raised concern on “forced conversions.”

Last year, a mob of around 500 people attacked a prayer house in Roorkee of Haridwar district beating up people, vandalizing the place of worship, which had triggered massive outrage.

Data gathered by a non-governmental organisation based on distress calls it received on a helpline number, however, records over 300 incidents of attacks – verbal, physical and with help of law enforcement – on Christians until July this year, reported The Wire. As many as 302 attacks against Christians took place in the first seven months of 2022 according to the United Christian Forum.

-INDIA NEWS STREAM