On Friday, December 23, just two days ahead of Christmas, locals of the Purola village in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi alleged that a Christian organisation was carrying out a mass conversion program.
As per an India Today report, villagers alleged that a sizeable crowd along with 12 Nepali citizens gathered at an under-construction building of the Christian Centre ahead of Christmas.
The incident took place on Friday afternoon at the Hope and Light Centre, where the villagers and the event organisers indulged in a heated argument over an alleged attempt by the Christian organisation to carry out the forced religious conversion.
The villagers raised slogans in protest and reportedly, a group of 30 men belonging to Hindu organisations reached the spot and protested against the alleged conversion program.
Notably, Pastor Lazarus and his wife Sushma Cornelius, who were among the event’s organisers, clashed with protesting Hindu organisation activists. The couple was arrested by the police, but they were later released after the situation had calmed down.
The villagers and Hindu organization activists have demanded a probe into the alleged forced religious conversion angle. It has also been claimed that some Christian literature has also been recovered from the Centre.
It is notable that a video of the incident has been doing rounds on social. In the video, a local activist belonging to Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) alleged that the people involved in conducting religious conversion belonged to a missionary. He further claimed that a Christian lady attacked the village women with sticks injuring a girl.
Speaking on the incident, Purola SDM Jitendra Kumar said that they have received complaints about conversion and scuffle and the probe is underway.
It is pertinent to mention here that a cross FIR has been filed against the Hindu organization activists.
Police registered a cross FIR in connection with the attack by a group of people, alleging forced conversion at a Christmas program in Purola village of Uttarkashi dist yesterday. FIR registered on the complaint of both parties & the police are probing the matter: Uttarakhand DGP
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) December 24, 2022
Confirming the same Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar said that FIR has been registered on the complaint of both parties and the police are investigating the case.
