Christianisation of Punjab
From 1% to over 10% in a decade
The first ever Church in India was built in Kerala in 52 AD. Since then Christianity in India spread through missionary activities and proselytisation. It spread from South of India to the North-east with several states witnessing massive conversions. While these missionaries had very little influence in the north-western part of India, the Sikh-majority state of Punjab has experienced an unusual rise in Christian conversions for over a decade.
The changing demographics in the recent years have compelled both Sikh and Hindu groups in the State to raise an alarm.
Background and Demographics
Over 65,000 missionaries are active in the state and it is believed that almost all villages in Punjab have one or two converted Christian families.
Christianity first entered Punjab in 1834. John Lowry and William Reid were the first missionaries in the region. Its early followers were largely urban and literate but insignificant to the number of Sikhs, Hindus, and Muslims, of whom the Sikhs were the largest group.
The target groups of present day Christian Missionaries are marginalised groups among Sikhs & Hindus. This mass conversion of the rural Dalits transformed a predominantly urban community of Christians into a rural and backward community. Therefore, Punjabi Christians are now characterised as backward, economically unstable, illiterate, and less urbanised.
According to the Punjab Census of 2011, Sikhs are a majority religion in the state at 58% with Hindus at 38%, Muslims at 2% and Christians at 1.26%.
However, media reports and Christian leaders argue that the actual number of followers in the state is between 10–15% as converted Christians remain Dalits on paper and avoid their religion to get the reservation benefits which are not available to converted Christians.
Why Christianity?
Marginalised groups from Hindu & Sikh communities suffer the consquences of rigid caste structures within their communities and want to live a respectable life. Although Sikhism was founded on the principles of equality, the practicality of it among present day Sikh community is far from it. The upper-caste Jatts look down upon Mazhabi Sikhs and treat them differently.
The grand ‘Jatt’ Gurdwara on top of a dilapidated ‘Dalit’ Gurdwara is a common sight in the villages of Punjab.
In rural areas there are different gurudwaras for different caste groups. Lower caste Sikhs are denied entry into upper caste Gurudwaras. They face humiliation on a daily basis with respect to marriages and funeral rights. Such discrimination has become a root cause for Mazhabi Sikhs, Valmiki Hindus and Dalits to leave their faith behind and embrace Christianity.
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) is the highest provisional authority for Sikhs. Due to the lack of religious propagation by SGPC among Sikhs, there is wide-spread apostasy among young Sikhs of Punjab. There is no dearth of fake Gurus and Sufi Saints in Punjab, each with a different school of thought. Due to their widespread reach, Sikhs’ faith in their own religion has weakened. Hence, Christianity has so many takers in Punjab.
How are they lured?
- Social Status - Mazhabi Sikhs are lower-caste Hindus who converted to Sikhism for better social status. They are now converting to Christianity after being discriminated against by the majority upper-caste Sikh (Jats). Thus low-caste Sikhs & Hindus are stuck in the conversion traps for a dignified life.
- Access to Healthcare - Punjab has one of the lowest public health spending in India leading to infrastructure gaps making private healthcare facilities expensive. Missionaries are luring the poor with free medical aid in hospitals run by the Christian Missions.
- Education - Punjab also has one of the highest school drop-out rate in the country. Out of the 84% students enrolled in primary school, only 51.6% enrol in secondary school. The state has also been grappling with shortage of teachers, impacting the quality of education. The Christian Missionary Schools in rural Punjab are bridging this gap by providing free/subsidised education to the converted families. They are also providing free Bus services to the school from nearby villages.
- Emigration to USA/ UK/ Canada- One of the biggest reasons for conversion is promise of visas to European countries or to Canada. The youth of Punjab see no future as the state is crippling with many political and social issues. It is one of the leading states with a high % of ageing population. In some villages there are no youth left as all of them have moved abroad. A Punjabi youth’s desperation to leave India can seem crazy.
- Similar Cultural Markers - The architecture of the churches built are similar to that of Gurudwaras. Some converts continue wearing their Turbans. On YouTube, one can find Christian giddas (a Punjabi folk dance), tappe (a musical form) and boliyan (sung couplets), and songs in praise of Jesus in Punjabi.
- Superstition - Punjab has the highest Cancer rate in the country. The Pastors claim they can cure cancer and other disabilities. The showmanship and fake miracles convince these uneducated and innocent people. They are later brainwashed into thinking that following any other religion than Christianity will lead them to hell.
- Sense of Community - Punjab has had its fair share of civil unrest for years. State Govt and Sikh organisations have done very little to uplift the marginalised. Tired of years of systematic oppression and indifference, they have turned to the Churches for emotional, social and financial support. They are assured that they will be taken care of, if they become a part of the Church.
Foreign Funded Conversions
Akal Takhat Jathedar Harpreet Singh alleged that the religious conversion drive is being carried out by Christian missionaries in Punjab with funds arriving from foreign countries. Crores in foreign contributions come to India every year, mostly for Christian missionary activities.
https://ministrywatch.com/gospel-for-asias-india-partner-raided-by-tax-authorities
Christian organisations reject claims
The president of Punjab Christian Movement, Hamid Masih, rejected claims that missionaries were offering money and using ‘miracle healing’ to convert. He called it a planned propaganda by Hindus and Sikhs.
Counter measures to tackle conversion
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee sent over 150 teams of Sikh preachers to try and persuade Sikh youths to stay loyal to their religion. They are actively propagating Sikhism but this program has not been very successful.
The politicians and religious leaders are doing very little to address the exploitative nature of upper-caste Jats and years of social discrimination and inequality faced by Dalits in Punjab.
There is an urgent need for strict anti-conversion laws in the State. Punjab does not have a statute that prohibits conversion, unlike several other States in the country. The law that enables minorities to propagate their faith also prohibits forced or illicit conversion.
While it is important to respect individual choices and freedom of religion, it is also important to safeguard the cultural and religious identity of the land. Else, soon there will be a Punjab without Punjabis.
