UK church leader accused of trying to convert Hindus in India, fears for safety | Gravitas

Earlier this month, a UK-based Indian-origin church leader was booked under Maharashtra's Stringent anti-forced conversion law for allegedly trying to induce Hindus to embrace Christianity. In a bizarre twist though, it has now emerged that this law is yet to come into force. His family has now claimed a threat to his life. This is the case of Pankaj Devnoor, a church leader in Manchester who is also an overseas citizen of India cardholder.

According to reports, he travelled to Pune to attend the ten-day anniversary celebrations of a local church. However, trouble arose when a group of men reportedly interrupted this gathering on August 7 and accused Devnoor of being a missionary trying to encourage religious conversion. Two days later, an FIR was lodged against Devnoor on the complaint filed by an autorickshaw driver. He accused the UK-based church leader of using Hindu terms and devotional instruments including kirtan, veena and tabla

before 80-100 people with an alleged intent to attract Hindus towards Christianity.

Rejecting his allegations in his bail petition Devnoor contended that the programme was open to all. While a Pune court granted him anticipatory bail, it barred him from leaving the country without its prior permission and directed him to visit the police station every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. While the Pune police has withdrawn charges filed under the anti-conversion law, as it is coming into force only on August 28, the case will be probed under other provisions.

Amid this, Devnoor's family told The Independent that the case had caused him considerable financial hardship and affected his livelihood. In wake of this, the family has commenced crowdfunding efforts to pay for his legal defence. According to reports, the family's immediate priority is to get him home as it is concerned over his identity being made public. Now, let's take a look at the law which has generated this controversy in the first place.

Officially known as 'The Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act', it prohibits unlawful religious conversion through allurement, coercion, deceit, force or threat. Additionally, any marriage solemnised with the sole purpose of unlawful religious conversion shall be declared null and void. According to this law, if any person intends to convert from one religion to another, he must give a sixty days' notice after which objections from locals will be probed.

The offences under this law are non-bailable and carry a punishment of seven-year jail apart from a fine ranging from 1 lakh to 5 lakh Indian rupees. Now, this is not an aberration. In March, Maharashtra became the 13th state in India to pass a law against forced religious conversions. While the case against Devnoor is subjudice, this incident has again reignited the debate over anti-conversion laws in India.