DEHRADUN: A significant portion of the Tharu Buksa tribe in Uttarakhand, known to be descendants of the legendary Maharana Pratap, has reportedly been converted to Christianity, sparking concerns among local communities and authorities. It is estimated that nearly 40 per cent of the Tharu Buksa population in the assembly constituencies of Khatima, Sitarganj, and Nanakmatta, near the Nepal border, have been influenced by Christian missionaries. This missionary activity is not just limited to the Tharu Buksa community but is also reportedly spreading among Sikhs and Jaunsari tribes in other regions of Uttarakhand, such as Jaunsar Bawar.
Christian missionaries have long had a presence in these areas, dating back to the post-independence period when Uttarakhand was part of Uttar Pradesh. Initially, the missionaries entered tribal areas under the pretext of providing education and medical services, slowly expanding their influence. The Tharu Buksa tribe, who settled in the region to escape Mughal persecution centuries ago and later received legal tribal status with job reservations after independence, has now become a focal point for these missionary efforts.
The root of this expansion lies in the strategic importance of Uttarakhand, particularly the districts along the Nepal border, which were historically underdeveloped. Christian missions established schools and medical facilities, gradually weaving a web of influence over the local population. Promises of better education and improved social mobility have allegedly been used as tools to lure tribal families into converting to Christianity.
As foreign funding for missionary activities has been curtailed under the Narendra Modi government, these organizations have reportedly found alternative methods to sustain their operations. For instance, Christian missionary-run schools have increased fees for affluent Hindu students, with the excess funds allegedly being channeled into the broader mission of religious conversion. As a result, conversion activities continue, now financed by resources from Hindu families themselves, raising alarm within the community.
What makes the current phase of missionary influence even more concerning is the change in tactics. No longer do nuns in white habits or priests in traditional Western attire lead these activities. Instead, it is the converted local men and women who now play a central role in spreading Christian teachings, making the conversion process seem more organic and integrated into local traditions. In addition, Christian preachers have adapted their methods to appeal to local religious sensitivities, using terms like “prayer halls” and “ashrams” instead of churches and adopting symbols and rituals familiar to Hindus and Sikhs.
In the Sikh communities, Christian missionaries have reportedly appointed pastors who wear traditional Sikh attire, including turbans and kirpans, making their influence harder to detect. Some of these missionaries, despite having Hindu names, are deeply involved in anti-Hindu activities. For example, in the Jaunsar region, a local youth named Sundar Singh Chauhan was reportedly converted to Christianity and later appointed as a pastor by the church. He is now actively engaged in conversion efforts among the local population. Several folk singers from the region are also said to be working under the influence of Christian missions.
According to intelligence reports, specific Christian institutions and hospitals, such as the Herbertpur hospital and a rural hospital in Haldwani, have emerged as hubs for missionary activities. One significant establishment, the Methodist Church in Nainital, which now operates under the name “Sattal Ashram,” is under suspicion for playing a role in these conversion campaigns.
In Sitarganj, a local resident named Ramesh Kumar, now known as Ramesh Massey, has reportedly risen through the ranks of the Christian mission to become a prominent pastor. Massey even contested elections for the legislative assembly and is now seen as a key figure in the ongoing conversion efforts. Other influential figures within the Rana tribal community, such as Dan Singh Rana and Gopal Rana, have also reportedly been co-opted into promoting Christianity among their own people. In the Jhajhra region, a pastor named Dr. Chandana has gained prominence for his role in propagating the faith.
Despite the reduction of foreign aid to missionary organisations under the Modi administration, the persistence of these activities, particularly in tribal regions of Uttarakhand, poses a significant challenge. With over 40% of the Tharu Buksa tribe already converted, local leaders are expressing concerns that the cultural and religious identity of these communities is under threat. The use of local converts as the driving force behind these efforts, and the blending of Christian teachings with Hindu and Sikh traditions, makes the issue even more complex and difficult to address.
In Terai, where the largest population of Sikhs outside Punjab resides, Christian missionaries have intensified their efforts, particularly among the Raikh Sikh community, a Scheduled Caste group. This is particularly troubling, given the region’s deep connection to Sikhism, as symbolized by the sacred Gurdwara Sri Nanakmatta Sahib. Despite the Sikh community’s long-standing devotion to their faith, Christian missionaries have been successfully infiltrating, with Sunday prayers at missionary centers attracting both Tharu and Raikh Sikhs.
At one of the largest conversion centers, the Anugrah Ashram in Sitarganj, Sunday prayer meetings draw numerous people from the Tharu and Raikh Sikh communities. Missionaries take advantage of their vulnerabilities, offering financial aid and household goods to entice them into the fold of Christianity. It is reported that attendees, after hours of prayer, meet with pastors who counsel them, promising relief from life’s challenges through devotion to Jesus Christ. The outreach also extends to children, who are taught Christian values in various educational institutions, with the lure of free supplies like books, stationery, and even mobile phones for online learning.
The influence of these missionaries is growing across the Tharu-dominated areas of Sitarganj, Khatima, and nearby villages, such as Tharu Baghori, Pairpura, Pindari, and Sajni. Under the guise of providing free education, Christian institutions are systematically teaching children about the life of Jesus Christ and Bible stories, setting the groundwork for future conversions. Many of these children, by the time they reach higher education, are fully integrated into the Christian faith.
Notably, the Khatima assembly region, located near the Nepal border, has seen increased activity by the Amau Church. The missionary organization is reportedly involved in unmonitored movement between India and Nepal, with its vehicles frequently crossing the border. In the aftermath of Nepal’s Maoist insurgency, Christian missionaries are said to have gained a foothold in the forest villages along the Indian-Nepal border, including areas like Ransali and Kadapani.
The missionary network extends to several other areas in Uttarakhand, including the villages of Mohammadpur Bhudiya, Lohiapul, Umrakala, Fulaiya, Majhola, and Poliganj, where their operations are increasingly difficult to track. These networks have become so entrenched that missionaries are even setting up prayer centers in slum areas. Significantly, these missionaries leave behind little to no documentation that could legally prove religious conversions, making it nearly impossible to track the scope of their activities. Today, even names do not change after conversion, allowing new Christians to continue to benefit from the legal protections offered to religious minorities and tribal groups.
Intelligence reports also indicate that Christian missionaries have launched targeted efforts to convert the poor, Nepal-origin residents in Uttarakhand. Through these newly converted individuals, the missionary influence has begun to infiltrate neighboring Nepal. Much of this operation is reportedly coordinated from centers in Khatima and Sitarganj, increasing the complexity and cross-border dimensions of the issue.
Advocate Amit Rastogi, a prominent local figure, expressed concern over the growing trend. He noted that the Tharu Buksa, having tribal status, continue to benefit from reservations and other government benefits even after converting to Christianity. This, he argues, is an exploitation of both the law and their minority status. “While the 2018 anti-conversion law was tightened in Uttarakhand, the 2024 bill has brought in even stricter provisions. Those found guilty of conversion can now be stripped of their tribal privileges and face heavy fines or imprisonment,” Rastogi emphasised.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami echoed these sentiments, reaffirming the state government’s commitment to stopping conversions. “We have enforced stringent anti-conversion laws in the state. Those converting or facilitating conversions will not be spared. We will also revoke their reservation rights,” Dhami said, sending a clear message that the state is determined to combat religious manipulation and exploitation of tribal communities.
