In the Chota Bharwara of Gomti Nagar Extension area in Lucknow, a massive uproar has erupted over alleged Christian conversion activities going on in a house. The local Hindus staged a protest, accusing the Christian residents of the said house of holding Sunday prayer meetings and converting locals to Christianity. It has been alleged that the accused are pressuring local Hindus to convert to Christianity or sell their houses and leave the area.
On Sunday (9th February), the Gomti Nagar Extension police arrived at the location and brought 50 people from the house where Christian conversion activities were reported, to the police station. The police, however, noted down the names and addresses of all and let them go. They said that they had come for the prayer meeting. Police also investigated Christians who organised the prayer meeting. The police warned those who attended the prayer meeting that if the atmosphere of the area deteriorates, action will be taken.
Yesterday, another conversion racket was exposed in UP – in Lucknow’s posh Gomti Nagar. The pattern is same: secret Sunday prayer sessions inside a house, luring the poor with promises of miraculous healing through Masih
— Swati Goel Sharma (@swati_gs) February 10, 2025
This had been happening for years until Hindu activists… pic.twitter.com/JZ2lSU0vJf
Meanwhile, PAC has been deployed as tensions prevail in the area.
Ritesh Mishra, a resident of Bharwara Estate Colony in Chhota Bharwara, lodged a complaint in Gomtinagar Extension police station that a church had been built in a house in his neighbourhood. Every Sunday, a prayer meeting is held in the house. A large number of people gather in it and religious conversion is also done here. The Christian missionaries involved in this were warned many times, however, they continued with their illegal activities. On Sunday at 10 am, a large number of people came for the prayer meeting.
The people of the locality alleged that during this time there were preparations to convert some people. When the people of the locality protested, the people present in the house came out and started threatening. Hearing the noise, other people from the vicinity also gathered. On receiving information about the ruckus, ADCP East Pankaj Kumar Singh reached with the Gomtinagar Extension and Gomtinagar police team. People were pacified. Inspector Gomtinagar Extension Sudhir Awasthi said that some people have been questioned based on allegations.
If the Hindus refused to convert, the Christian missionaries put pressure on the locals to sell their houses. Yogesh Mishra, Mohit, Bharat Bhushan, residents of Bharwara State Colony said that this house was built six years ago and earlier, a few people used to come here. However, for the past six months, a large number of people have gathered at the house every Sunday.
Locals alleged that the people who come to the house also tempt them to change their religion. They lure them with a job and lakhs of rupees if they change their religion. On refusing to change their religion, they pressured them to sell their house and leave the area. The local Hindus said that these Christian missionaries were buying land and houses in the area at double the price.
A local resident Dhananjay Kumar Pandey said that a church-like house has been constructed with no explicit religious symbols. The gates and walls are so high that nothing can be seen from outside. One Manoj Sharma said that these Christian missionaries are luring people to Christianity by offering financial enticements and properties. The local Hindus are harassed and if they oppose the missionaries, they get threatened. Sharma added that they had complained about the illegal conversion activities earlier as well, however, no concrete action was taken.
Some locals alleged that the police are hushing up the matter instead of acting against the Christian missionaries.
Speaking about the matter Shashank Singh, DCP East said, “At 10 am, information was received about religious conversion in a prayer meeting being held at a house in Chhota Bharwara. The police went to the spot and investigated. No evidence of religious conversion was found. The people brought to the police station have been warned that action will be taken if the atmosphere of the area deteriorates. The crowd gathered here has been pacified and sent back. The situation is normal now. Police and PAC have been deployed as a precaution. Further action will be taken on the basis of the complaint.”
So far, despite a complaint being lodged, no FIR has been registered in the matter.
Meanwhile, Hindu Samaj leader Angad Shukla said that illegal Christian conversion activities have been going on in the colony for many years. Even after complaints, the police are not taking any action. When there was a ruckus on Sunday, the police removed everyone and finished their work. He said that even after 24 hours, no case was registered against anyone.
The Hindu rights activist further announced that every Sunday, the Hindu Samaj group and local Hindus will recite Sundarkand in the Bharwara Estate Colony. Angad Shukla said that he has met DCP Shashank Singh, who assured him that necessary action will be taken in the matter. Shukla demanded that the said church’s registration, water and electricity bills etc should be examined. The Hindu Samaj said that if the police fail to take appropriate action, they will launch a massive protest.
As per a Bhaskar report, one Rajivlal constructed a church-like house in the colony 5 years ago. Following this, three more houses were built in a line. These houses are connected to each other from the inside, and there is a church in Rajiv’s house. The house is a place for frequent religious gatherings and possible conversion activities.
