Christian Pastor lures Hindus to convert to Christianity by offering cash, cure for illenesses and marriage arrangements for their children
Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India 
19 October, 2024
Case Summary
In Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, a Christian conversion operation was uncovered after police raided a residence in Vikas Nagar Colony, where over 40 women and children were found. A pastor named Bijju, originally from Kerala, enticed non-Christians to convert by promising financial help, marriage arrangements for their children, and healing for illnesses. The network reportedly operated like multi-level marketing, where each convert was encouraged to bring two others, receiving benefits in return. Bijju and his wife were seated on chairs and inciting people against Hindus during the raid. “Love the one who loves you. Today is Karwa Chauth but the family does not love you, God does, so take refuge in God,” Bijju was heard saying. He further said, “You have to worship Jesus. What is money? You will get whatever you want. What have your gods given you to date? You don’t even get respect in society. Come to Jesus. You will get everything here.” Locals grew suspicious of Bijju, who had rented the house two months prior and held large Sunday prayer gatherings. During the raid on October 20, Bijju was reportedly heard encouraging attendees to convert, claiming they would receive respect, money, and blessings. BJP leader Anmol said Bijju and his wife had converted 300 people so far, with promises of financial assistance, support for marriage expenses, and “holy water” cures. The BJP also said Bijju and his wife have been operating similarly across Meerut for 15 years.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added under the prime category of 'Predatory proselytisation' of the tracker and under this two sub-categories have been chosen. The first is- Attempting to convert/converting by denigrating Hinduism. In several cases, Hindus are converted or an attempt is made to convert Hindus by denigrating their faith, Hinduism. In such cases, the Hindus associate with the non-Hindu perpetrators often by choice and then, the attempt to convert them by insulting their faith, showing the faith down etc begins. An example of this would be a non-Hindu gathering where the Hindus are attending the gathering of their own free will. However, once they attend the gathering, there is an explicit attempt to convert them by abusing their faith and hailing the faith of the perpetrator. The denigration of the Hindu faith is often based on misrepresentation of the Hindu faith, its doctrine and scriptures and insult to espoused traditions if not blatant lies about Hindu beliefs and ways. Such conversions or attempts at conversions are driven by animosity towards the Hindu faith and are therefore documented as religiously motivated hate crimes. The second sub-category under which this case has been placed is- Conversion/ attempts to convert by inducement. Predatory Proselytisation is not just limited to threat, harassment, force and violence, but it also has contours of stealth. In several cases, the Hindu victim is exploited to convert, with non-Hindus taking advantage of their poverty. In such cases, the Hindu victim who is suffering financially is offered monetary benefits, including lucrative offers for jobs, health treatment, education, etc, to induce the victim into changing his/her religion. In such cases, the religious identity of the victim and the aim to disenfranchise him from his faith form the heart of the crime. Also, taking advantage of and exploiting an individual’s economic vulnerabilities is widely acknowledged as exploitation, forms of which are often penalised by law. Such cases therefore are considered religiously motivated hate crimes since the victim’s religious identity forms the very heart of the crime itself. Here, pastor Bijju made disparaging comments aimed at Hindu customs and deities. His remarks during the gathering, such as dismissing Hindu festivals like Karwa Chauth and portraying Hindu gods as ineffective, served to undermine the beliefs of those present. Bijju’s approach encouraged the gathered individuals to feel alienated from their Hindu identities, insinuating that converting to Christianity was the path to receiving love, respect, and blessings. This calculated denigration of Hindu customs was clearly intended to sow doubt and discontent, nudging individuals towards conversion by eroding their faith in their cultural and religious practices. Insulting Hinduism in attempts to brainwash Hindus against their religion, itself stems from the animosity against the Hindu faith, and this is one of the reasons why this case qualifies as a hate crime against Hindus and has been documented here. Secondly, Bijju enticed potential converts with promises of financial help, assistance with marriage arrangements, and healing for ailments, appealing directly to their needs and vulnerabilities. This tactic of offering tangible rewards creates a dependency on conversion for support and resources, especially for those facing financial or social difficulties. Since exploiting vulnerabilities for the explicit purpose of conversion is purely based on animosity towards the victim's faith, this case has been categorised as a religiously motivated hate crime.
Victim Details
Total Victim
40
Deceased
0
Gender
- Male 0
- Female 40
- Third Gender 0
- Unknown 0
Caste
- SC/ST 0
- OBC 0
- General 0
- Unknown 40
Age Group
- Minor 0
- Adult 0
- Senior Citizen 0
- Unknown 40
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Christian Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
both
Sources 
