Hindu activists have disrupted Sunday prayer services in two Indian states alleging forced religious conversions that were denied by Christians.
The first incident was reported on Nov. 7 from the southern state of Karnataka, where members of the Sri Ram Sene (Ram’s army) barged into a Christian prayer hall in Maratha Colony in Belgavi (formerly Belgaum) and locked in the devotees.
Police had to rush to open doors of the locked-up hall and asked those inside to go home.
Sene members alleged that Pastor Lema Cherian was con-verting poor Hindus to Chri-stianity by organizing prayer services. Pastor Cherian denied the allegation. “We have been organizing prayer services every Sunday and all are free to join,” he said.
He said that the local police were informed about the Sun-day meeting and nobody was forced to attend it. “We are free to practice any faith of our choice and it is our fundamental right. No one can infringe upon it,” the pastor added. But Assistant Commissioner of Police Ajjol Chandrappa told media that a Hindu man who attended the prayer service had filed a complaint alleging conversion. The police were verifying the facts and may register a case, he said.