Christian evangelists attempt to convert Hindus to Christianity by offering goats as an incentive, make derogatory comments about Hindu Gods
Prayagraj (Allahabad), Uttar Pradesh, India 
28 September, 2024
Case Summary
On September 29, 2024, local residents reported a group of Christian evangelists attempting to convert poor Hindus to Christianity during a "healing meeting" by offering them goats as an incentive. Members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) arrived to stop the conversions after hearing reports from villagers. It was stated that derogatory comments were made about Hindu gods, and promises were made that converting to Christianity would heal diseases. The incident took place in Sarapatipur village, within the Sarai Inayat police station area. When VHP members intervened, they were met with stone-pelting by the accused and others present. Four individuals, Ashok Kumar from Sonbhadra, Madan Bind, Dr Munna Lal Nigam, and Suraj Kumar Verma, all from Prayagraj, were identified as the masterminds behind the attempted conversions. The police arrived promptly, took the named suspects into custody, and began questioning them.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker since the details clearly demonstrate that the crime was committed while harbouring a bias against the Hindu faith. As per details, the first prime category under which this case has been placed is- Predatory Proselytisation. Within 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 the 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. The second prime category under which this case has been placed is- Attack not resulting in death. Under this, the sub-category selected is- Attacked for opposing radicals or trying to save victim. In several cases, Hindus are attacked for opposing religiously motivated crimes being committed against a fellow Hindu or simply for voicing an opinion opposing radical elements, who either have in the past or continue to persecute Hindus. In such cases, the initial attack against the victim, against which the Hindu was trying to defend the victim, would also need to be classified as a religiously motivated hate crime. Since the initial crime itself was religiously motivated and the subsequent crime of attempting to save the victim or speaking against the radical elements ends up inviting a violent attack, it would also be classified as a religiously motivated hate crime under this category. Here, some Christian evangelists attempted to convert Hindus through inducements, such as offering goats. The use of inducements to convert individuals is indeed a common tactic in efforts to influence or manipulate vulnerable individuals into changing their faith. This approach often targets economically disadvantaged groups, offering material benefits such as food, money, or livestock in exchange for conversion. It creates a form of dependency that can alienate individuals from their original faith, as they may feel compelled to convert not out of genuine belief but due to immediate needs or financial pressures. Here too, the Christian evangelists adopted a similar tactic of exploiting the vulnerability of the Hindus to convert them to Christianity. Further, the accused also resorted to insulting Hindu deities to provoke and alienate members of the Hindu community from their faith. This tactic is usually employed not only to assert the perceived superiority of their own religious beliefs over Hinduism but also to instil doubt in the minds of Hindus, making them more susceptible to conversion. Further, when VHP leaders intervened to halt the predatory proselytisation of vulnerable Hindus by Christian evangelists, they were met with stone-pelting by the accused, escalating the situation into a physical attack. This act of violence underscores the hostility faced by those standing against radical attempts to undermine the religious freedom and dignity of their community. Due to the above-mentioned reasons, this case has been added to the tracker.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Christian Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
