Mumbai: After a ban on Christian evangelist groups at two private clubs in Mumbai for allegedly conducting religious conversions at prayer services, Bajrang Dal, the youth wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, said they have reports of similar activities at a sports club in Bandra.
The Christian groups said they were conducting religious services at rented halls because they did not have prayer spaces of their own. They denied allegations about religious conversions being false and politically motivated.
On Sunday, the Brother Manuel Ministries, a group founded by a Bandra resident, was banned from Khar Gymkhana after complaints that the father of cricketer and club member Jemimah Rodrigues was using the premises to conduct religious services for the group.
After complaints by Bajrang Dal, another congregation has been asked to stop prayer services at Millennium Club, Juhu. The Juhu meeting was organised by, among others, Dr Samuel Siddharth Khosa, son of former Congress Member of Legislative Assembly, Baldev Khosa. Dr Khosa has denied any religious conversions at the prayer meetings.
While the groups have violated rules by private clubs that prohibit religious services on their premises, Hindu groups accuse them of selling cures for mental and physical illnesses through prayers as baits to attract new converts - charges that can attract criminal prosecution
"No law prohibits people from practicing or converting to a religion of their choice, but many of these meetings use false promises and miracle cures to attract people. Vulnerable people are lured to these meetings till they formally convert to the religion. If they are forced or brainwashed to change their religion it is a criminal offence," said Gautam Ravaria, Konkan regional head of Bajrang Dal.
"The speakers use false narratives to convert the audience. If you look at the names of those attending the meetings most of them are Hindus. The speakers tell people that belief in Jesus will rid them of poverty and illness. It is a syndicate. There is big money coming from abroad to fund these activities."
Many are from established Christian denominations, and mainstream churches have distanced themselves from these groups, some even cautioning their congregations against attending the prayer services.
"We call this 'prosperity preaching' where people are told they will get money, health, and other material benefits if they pray. We do not preach this 'gospel of prosperity'," said Father Joseph D'Souza, parish priest at Our Lady of Health Church, Cavel, a Roman Catholic Church. "People leave the church for such groups. We are not disturbed by this. I am saying that if it benefits you, go."
The Catholic Church does not always have such a nonchalant view of these groups. During a visit by American evangelist Benny Hinn two decades ago, the Archdiocese of Bombay warned its members from attending the meetings at Bandra Kurla Complex.
Ravaria said that the Juhu club was under the impression that the event organisers were Sikhs. "They did not believe us when we said they were Christians. They had names that resembled those of Sikhs. The group has been holding the events for at least a year. Some reports said the meetings have been happening for six or seven years," said Ravaria.
Khosa said his group has no particular name and considers themselves Protestant Christians. "We are not a church. My mother is a Protestant and my father is a Punjabi. I have been attending these services as a child. We hire a hall because we do not own a proper place. We book a hall or whatever is available for our prayers. I can safely say I have been misunderstood," said Khosa. "People are educated. Can I force anyone to change their religion? Why would I want to convert people? Everyone needs to respect each other's space."
Khosa, a surgeon by training, said he is keen to contest the Maharashtra assembly elections from Versova. "Of course, the party high command will decide whether I get to contest. It is election time and somebody is trying to trigger a controversy," Khosa added.
Mark Tribhuvan, a pastor with Central Mumbai Christian Fellowship, said their recent prayer meetings at Kalidas Sabhagrah, Mulund, and Mankhurd were disrupted by groups who accused them of religious conversions. "People of all religions go to Haji Ali Dargah and Mount Mary Church. Why are only we targeted? People come to pray because they believe God can give. This is not an allurement," said Tribhuvan.
Ravaria, however, said that the meetings were a covert attempt to convert Hindus. "A majority of those who attend these prayer meetings are Hindus. They are innocent and can be brainwashed. That is why we are demanding national laws to stop religious conversions by deceitful tactics. Some states have such laws but in areas where there is no such law the groups continue to do it," said Ravaria who added that prosecutions under legislations like the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and Other Inhuman, Evil, and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013, have been few and far between.
"We have stopped meetings like this in the past," said Ravaria. One of these meetings was to be held at the Bombay Exhibition Centre and was organised by a comedian who claimed that his prayers had cured a leading actor of a liver ailment.
Bajrang Dal said they have recently received complaints about similar meetings at a Bandra sports club. However, the allegations are yet to be confirmed.
