Thousands of Christians from across Maharashtra gathered at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan on Friday, July 11, to protest against BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar’s inflammatory remarks targeting Christian priests and pastors. The demonstration, organised by the Sakal Christi Samaj and supported by over 20 Christian organisations, ran from noon to 6 pm.
Padalkar made the controversial statements during a torch march in Sangli (Kupwad) on June 17. The MLA offered monetary rewards ranging from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 11 lakh for violent attacks against Christian religious leaders who he accused of religious conversions.
The MLA’s remarks reportedly included: “Whoever does the work of (religious) conversion, and if our people do ‘Sairat’ (indicating to kill, referring to the movie Sairat which highlighted the issue of honour killings) to that person, then I will personally give a reward of Rs 11 lakhs,” (approximately $13,000).
The announcement sparked widespread outrage among Christian communities across Maharashtra. Raphael D’Souza, former president of the Bombay Catholic Sabha, condemned the state government’s silence on the issue, telling Catholic Connect: “The biggest concern is the lack of response - even when one of their own sitting MLAs, Gopichand Padalkar, reportedly said, ‘Attack these Christians; I will give you three lakh rupees.’ Despite the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly being in session, no action has been taken against him.”
D’Souza highlighted the Christian community’s contributions to Indian society, stating: “We are a peace-loving community that has played a vital role in education, healthcare, and social services. These accusations of forced conversions are completely baseless. There isn’t even an iota of proof - only unfounded allegations.”
The Friday, July 11, demonstration attracted Christians from various denominations alongside political leaders and civil society activists. Prominent figures included Congress leaders Bhai Jagtap, Varsha Gaikwad, and Vijay Wadettiwar; NCP leader Jayant Patil; and Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi. Father Frazer Mascarenhas, former principal of St. Xavier’s College, and Janet D’Souza, former vice-chairperson of the Maharashtra Minority Commission, also attended.
Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad addressed the gathering. Later, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), she condemned what she called the government’s “policy of ‘Mislead, Divide and Rule’“ and stated: “Fundamentally, the ideology of RSS-BJP is to spread hatred in society and divide the nation. In Maharashtra today, injustice is constantly being done to the poor, Dalits, Adivasis, and minorities.”
Protesters demanded Padalkar’s immediate disqualification from his legislative post and called for criminal charges under relevant sections of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, including incitement to violence, rioting, and encouragement to commit murder. The demonstration was part of a broader statewide protest, with similar dharnas and morchas held in several cities and districts across Maharashtra.
Earlier protests had taken place in Pune on July 8, where members of the Pune Christian Forum staged a peaceful demonstration outside the District Collector’s Office. Similar protests occurred in Jalna district on June 30.
Melwyn Fernandes, Secretary of the Association of Concerned Christians, described the MLA’s statement as “a direct attack on the very fabric of our secular democracy. It is shocking and disheartening that our elected leaders have failed to take cognisance of such dangerous rhetoric, thereby undermining and isolating Christians in their own country.”
The controversy has highlighted growing concerns about Christian persecution in India. The Archdiocese of Bombay expressed “deep concern” over Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule’s proposal for strict anti-conversion legislation, arguing that such legislation risks fostering division and targeting vulnerable communities.
The BJP has distanced itself from Padalkar’s remarks. Agnelo Fernandes, general secretary of the Mumbai BJP, called the statement “highly irresponsible” and “dangerous,” clarifying that the remarks were Padalkar’s personal views and did not reflect the party’s official position.
Norbert Mendonsa, Vice President of the Bombay Catholic Sabha, confirmed that the issue has been formally taken up in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, which is currently in session. The Christian community remains hopeful that the matter will be addressed with appropriate seriousness.
