Raebareli: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken cognisance of a complaint filed by Agni Samaj organisation regarding forced religious conversion and indoctrination of schoolchildren in Raebareli. The Commission has directed the District Magistrate (DM) and Superintendent of Police (SP) of Raebareli to submit an Action Taken Report (ATR) within 10 days.
Agni Samaj’s complaint alleges that individuals linked to missionary organisations were coercing 50-60 Hindu children into religious conversion by luring them with toffees, biscuits, and chocolates. These children were allegedly made to participate in prayer meetings where they were systematically brainwashed and pressured to abandon their native faith.
The NHRC has termed these allegations a serious violation of fundamental child rights and noted that such activities prima facie amount to grave human rights violations. Given the seriousness of the matter, the Commission has also forwarded the complaint to the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police (DGP) of Uttar Pradesh.
Arrests Made in Raebareli for Forced Religious Conversion
The said case is from Raebareli’s Didhiyawa village, where three individuals, including two women, were booked last week for attempting religious conversion under the guise of prayer meetings. The arrests included a pastor named Vijay Singh. A video of the prayer meeting busted by activists went viral on social media. (Link to the video after blurring children’s faces:
Another illegal conversion racket – this time targeting school-going Hindu children
In UP’s Raebareli, missionary agents were gathering a large number of Hindu kids every Sunday, indoctrinating them under the guise of teaching sanskar and bhajans
After a raid, four arrested pic.twitter.com/vCPC440Qb3
— Swati Goel Sharma (@swati_gs) February 24, 2025
Villagers reported that during these meetings, small children and teenagers were given food items as incentives and made to memorize religious prayers.
Sanjeev Newar, founder of Agni Samaj, stated: “This is an organized attack on innocent children, exploiting their innocence and coercing them into abandoning their faith. We commend the NHRC for its swift action and demand that the perpetrators face strict legal consequences.”
