Controversial Pastor Bajinder Singh absconded after multiple complaints were filed by the SC-ST Forum and Odisha Hindu organizations. They wanted the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) to register an FIR against the Balangir Sub-collector for aiding a massive conversion event organized by Singh targeting innocent tribals of indigenous faith.

The Prophet Bajinder Singh Ministries had conducted a two-day program in Odisha’s Balangir with aim of converting people to Christianity.

“Wrote to DM and SP, Balangir, Odisha to take action u/s of Odisha Freedom of Religion Act and Drugs & Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act against the event scheduled by Bajinder Singh Ministries (Punjab) in Balangir with an aim of converting people to Christianity”, tweeted SC-ST Forum on May 26. Ever since these complaints were raised, Singh has absconded.

“Kalinga Rights Forum shared pictures of Balangir district Sub-Collector Lambodar Dharua meeting Karyakartas of the SC-ST Rights Forum, that filed a complaint with him against the pastor for organizing the conversion event. The activist group also shared the picture of the complaint submitted to Lambodar Dharua. The Hindu group Tweeted how despite proof, Lambodar Dharua, the sub-collector of Balangir, Odisha not only refused to meet with the Karyakartas, but he also denied receiving the complaint against the pastor and his forthcoming event”, noted OpIndia.

The activists of the SC-ST Rights Forum even called the Balangir district collector and SP many times but the administration failed to stop the event. The organization also pointed out that such events were allowed to take place despite an anti-conversion law being in place in Odisha. “What’s really unfortunate to see the Bolangir Administration Denial to Act even after getting a detailed complaint of the Number of Acts Violated by Bajinder Singh which are actually enacted by Odisha Parliament”, highlighted Kalinga Rights Forum.

In September last year, Bajinder Singh harassed activist Anshul Saxena who raised questions regarding the ‘miracle cures’ of the pastor. Singh has also been accused of rape in 018 by a Zirakpur woman who used to run a Dhaba and became a part of Singh’s group of volunteers after coming in touch with him in 2017. The pastor was arrested at Delhi airport even as he was trying to escape to England.

The extent of rampant Christian conversion activities in Punjab is also highlighted by the fact that Bajinder converted to Christianity in jail while serving a term for murder.  ‘During his stay in the jail, he came in contact with a pastor and got inclined toward Christianity. He used to read Bible daily and got converted, Hindustan Times quotes police officials privy to the investigations as saying. 

(Featured Image Source: OpIndia)