Last Updated: September 07, 2022, 20:56 IST
Akal Takht officiating Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh emphasised that the Christian leaders would have to initiate legal action against fake pastors. (Twitter)
The representatives of the Christian organisation assured the Jathedar that mainline churches never nurture any sort of force or allurement to convert anyone
Even as the alleged incidents of forced conversions in rural areas of Punjab by little-known missionary groups have kicked up a political row in the state, a joint delegation of prominent Christian missionary groups met the Akal Takht acting Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh in Amritsar on Wednesday.
The delegation comprised Catholic Church of India, Church of North India, under the banner of Masihi Maha Sabha (MMS). The incidents of forced conversions by alleged “fake pastors” in rural areas have been raised by various Sikh bodies and political parties with a demand for clamping down on such activities. The Sikh organisations have alleged that “money” was being pumped in from foreign sources to pose a grave security threat to the border state.
Given the controversy, the Christian organisations decided to meet the Akal Takht Jathedar. The two sides have decided to form a joint committee to address the issues and also urged the government to scrutinise the source of funding of these “fake organisations”.
The bishops urged the Jathedar to collaborate with the mainline churches to expose the deep-rooted conspiracy aimed at disturbing the peace and harmony between Sikhs and Christians. They submitted that some “fake custodians of the Christian faith” were posing as office-bearers of the Anglican Church of India, which has no legal standing.
Akal Takht officiating Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh emphasised that the Christian leaders would have to initiate legal action against “fake” pastors who indulged in such activities. “The Christian leaders would have to take stern move against them. The Sikh community will cooperate in this direction,” he said.
The representatives of the Christian organisations assured the Jathedar that mainline churches never nurture any sort of force or allurement to convert anyone. They said that the Christian community holds the Sikh brotherhood in high regard and would never act in a way to hurt their religious sentiments and interests.
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