Hindu fanatics attempt to convert church into Gurudwara in Punjab

A group of Hindu fundamentalists attempted to convert a church into a Gurudwara (holy temple of the Sikh community) but was prevented from doing so by Sikh leaders who came to the rescue of the believers.

On April 10, activists belonging to the Hindu radical outfit, the Bajrang Dal, stormed a church in Lehragaga of Sangrur district of Punjab and falsely accusing Pastor Malok Singh of rape, they had him arrested and jailed.

The activists, numbering over 100, then proceeded to vandalize the church, breaking church furniture and stealing musical instruments. The Hindu radicals also planted a Granth Sahib (the Holy Scripture of the Sikh) inside the church, recited verses from the Granth Sahib, and converted the church signboard into a Gurudwara Sahib.

According to information obtained by Christian Today, the activists went on a rampage, tearing Bibles and seizing a large number of Christian literature which were transported away by two trucks to undisclosed place and reportedly burned.

According to sources close to the development, Sikh leaders later came to the rescue of the believers. Denouncing the act, the Sikh leaders, escorted by police personnel, also restored the church by removing the Granth Sahib placed inside the church premises.

Meanwhile, the church members have filed a complaint against the Bajrang Dal activists at Lehragaga Police Station for provoking enmity among two religions of Christianity and Sikhism.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Balraj Singh has confirmed that the District Magistrate has set up an enquiry commission under the leadership of Sunam Sub–Divisional Magistrate and has asked for a report within two weeks.

No arrests of Bajrang Dal activists have been reported so far.

Meanwhile, Pastor Singh languished in jail till he was released on bail on April 18.

Pastor Singh later reported to the AICC that he was severely beaten up in the police station and the police attempted to extract a forced confession from him. He said that a girl was brought by Bajrang Dal activists to his house and then Bajrang Dal activists locked the door from the outside and accused him of rape.

According to the sources, Bajrang Dal held a meeting at Lehragaga on April 18 and submitted a memorandum to the District Magistrate to sack the District Superintendent of Police for performing his assigned duty to protect the Christian minorities.

Hindu radical outfits like the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal and Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activists have been for long trying to foment communal tension between the Sikhs and Christians by making false allegations to the former that Christians are forcefully converting Sikh communities into Christianity.

The Hindu radicals have also called for an anti–conversion law in the state of Punjab.