The Hindu refugee families who came from Pakistan’s Sindh province a few years ago and settled in the floodplains near Majnu ka Tila gurdwara, due to the continuous persecution they faced in the neighbouring country, are now facing the threat of religious conversion by Christian missionary organisations active in the refugee camp.
According to the news website News India 24X7, Christian missionaries are targeting the uneducated and gullible Hindu refugees and trying to convert them by offering them food and other basic facilities.
The residents believe that the Christian missionaries are working in and around the camp are gathering information on the Hindu immigrants in order to convert as many as possible.
A Hindu refugee named Urmila Rani, residing at the Majnu Ka Tila camp stated clearly that the camp has been subjected to a conversion racket for some time. She revealed how three people had already fallen into the trap laid by the Christian missionaries. She claimed that they were initially successful in preventing missionary organisations from entering the camp, but that subsequently, the same persons returned in the name of new institutions.
Priests affiliated with the temple also claim that these impoverished Pakistani Hindus are under a lot of pressure to convert. Going against these missionaries entails creating trouble for one’s own survival.
The report by News India 24X7 also suggests that these Hindu refugees families at Manju ka Tila camp are not even allowed to celebrate Hindu festivals. The Christian missionaries active in the camp, forbid them from organising functions like Ram Leela during the Hindu festival of Dussehra. However, they compel the Hindu refugees to celebrate Christmas. Poverty and the miserable conditions they are having to live in leave them with no option but to surrender to the demands put forth by these Christian missionaries.
The media report further claimed that thumb impressions were being taken as a method to collect data for conversion activity. This information, the report says, was given by the refugees to the reporter. The logo on one of the thumb impression sheets showed the logo of HAI.
Hi Mr Mishra, I watched your video completely which was brought to my notice. I am approaching you to seek explanation as you have constantly used logo of our organisation. I am attaching the screenshot: pic.twitter.com/lmNHnnhfSz
— Sudhanshu S Singh (@sssingh21) November 21, 2021
The founder of HAI, Sudhanshu S Singh took to Twitter to clarify that thumb impressions are taken after humanitarian aid is handed over to the refugees.
7. Simultaneously, they put their sign/thumb impression in the record maintained by us, for cross verification.
— Sudhanshu S Singh (@sssingh21) November 20, 2021
Yes, all the women are illiterate. Did you find out who is teaching them? Do you know who is ensuring that every child goes to school?
This is done to maintain transparency and maintain records of the supplies being given to them. He also said that each family has a passbook and whenever they receive any support from HAI, an entry is made in the passbook.
