Uttar Pradesh: 4 more evangelical Christians arrested for alleged conversions

They are accused of promising miraculous cures for diseases, exploiting superstitions widespread among Dalits and the poor. The events allegedly took place in the house of Pastor Achhe Lal, in the village of Pakhrauli. A local source: it was a normal Sunday liturgy. Fr Anand Mathew of Varanasi: ‘Arrests are an almost daily occurrence. Wrong if Catholics on Protestants say: it is only their problem'.

Lucknow (AsiaNews) - Police in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, have arrested four people on charges of alleged conversions to Christianity, harshly pursued in this as in other Indian states in a campaign fuelled by Hindu nationalists who systematically spread suspicion against minorities.

The pretext that fuelled the act was allegedly the promise to cure certain ailments, exploiting the belief in superstitions widespread especially among poor people, the authorities said. Six women were also arrested in the operation, later released. Abdus Salam, a police officer from Lambhua, Sultanpur district, said that they had been informed of illegal conversion activities conducted in the house of Pastor Achhe Lal in Pakhrauli village, which the Kotwali Dehat police is in charge of.

The arrests were made on Sunday, 15 September after the police raided the location in Sultanpur. Here, the accused allegedly lured poor people from the Dalit community with false promises and then converted them to Christianity. ‘We received information that Achhe Lal's house was involved in unauthorised conversion activities under the guise of traditional healing practices. Investigations revealed that Kanhaiyalal, son of Chhotelal originally from Bhadiyan, Lambhua, was responsible for the conversions,’ said Abdus Salam

Speaking to AsiaNews, a Pentecostal pastor, who asked not to disclose the identity, commented: ‘There were about 60 people attending Sunday prayer. It was a Sunday worship and there was nothing illegal, there is nothing criminal in praying within the private walls of one's home'. It was a local vigilante group belonging to nationalist right-wing movements that alerted the authorities. ‘Administrative bias and illegal violence against minorities are reaching new levels in Uttar Pradesh. Currently about 24 Christians, mostly pastors, languish in jails because of their faith,' he explained.

The accused have been identified as Achhe Lal, Rajiv Kumar, Mukesh and Subhash Kumar. The local official said that all four accused were later taken to a local court and remanded in custody. Salam also said that two other people - Kanhaiyalal and Raju, who had been previously arrested and now also placed in custody - were being further investigated.

Catholic priest Fr Anand Mathew, who has been serving in Varanasi for decades, told AsiaNews: ‘Arrests are now almost a daily occurrence. What is there to comment on?’. Fr. Mathew also castigates the silence of those in the local Church itself who say that ‘it is not our problem, but theirs; dividing Christians between us and them. It is just the opposite of what Jesus taught'.