Rajasthan: Massive Christian conversion racket exposed in Anupgarh, 454 Hindus converted over 11 years
A huge Christian conversion racket was busted in Anupgarh town in Sri Ganganagar district of Rajasthan, after a 23-year-old man filed a complaint regarding his forced conversion. The matter came to light in Ward No. 14 of the Anupgarh Police Station area. According to SHO Ishwar Jangid, the complainant, Sandeep, a resident of village 24 APD, filed a complaint about his religious conversion on Tuesday (16th September). Three persons, namely Aryan, Vinod and Paulus Barjo, have been accused by the complainant of forced conversion and harassment. In his complaint, Sandeep stated that about a month ago, he visited a bike spare parts shop near Anupgarh railway station, where he met the shop owner, Aryan and his father, Vinod, whom Sandeep knew for a long time. During a conversation, Aryan and Vinod asked Sandeep if he was married yet, to which he replied negatively. Sandeep alleged that Aryan and Vinod offered to get him married and introduced him to Paulus Barjo, who worked for the Friends Missionary Prayer Band (FMPB) organisation. Sandeep said that Paulus Barjo told him that if he converted to Christianity, ‘the Lord’ would be pleased and he would get married. Thereafter, the three accused took him to a canal in Prem Nagar and converted him to Christianity by performing some rituals in the water. After Sandeep converted to Christianity, the three accused started harassing him and forced him to bring them more Hindus for conversion. Paulus Barjo was given an annual conversion target of 20 people by the Christian organisation On the complaint of Sandeep, the police nabbed Paulus Barjo, who made some shocking revelations. 47-year-old Barjo reportedly admitted that he converted 454 Hindus to Christianity over 11 years. Barjo, originally from Katinggel village in Jharkhand, was a Hindu before he converted to Christianity in 1995. He revealed that his elder brother also converted to Christianity. Barjo joined the FMPB in Chennai in 2003 and was sent to Jhansi for training. After undergoing training for a year, he was sent to the Sikar district in Rajasthan. Between 2004 and 2008, Barjo carried out his conversion activities in several districts of Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana. Subsequently, he came to Anupgarh in 2008 and stayed there till 2016. After working in several other states, he came back to Anupgarh in 2022 and has been staying at Vinod’s house. Barjo disclosed that the FMPB gave an annual target of converting at least 20 people. For this, the organisation paid him a monthly salary of ₹9 thousand, along with allowances covering rent, food, expenses for spiritual gatherings, travel expenses and children’s school fee. Police seized several documents from Barjo’s possession, including a register in which he entered the names and details of people he had converted so far. Christian organisation planning to build churches in the area Further revealing his missionary activities, Barjo said that he used to meet poor, vulnerable or diseased Hindu people and lure them to convert to Christianity. Names of two more people, Shyamlal and Surjeet, have also surfaced in connection with the case. Barjo, Shyamlal and Surjeet were placed by the organisation in Anupgarh and nearby villages to meet their annual target.The organisation has reportedly been planning to build churches in the villages of 2 PGM and 36 GB, for which the land has already been purchased. Vinod has donated ₹3.5 lakh for the church. VHP demands strict action in the case As per reports, the organisation had been planning to build churches in the villages of 2 PGM and 36 GB, for which the land has already been purchased. Vinod has donated ₹3.5 lakh for the church. Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has demanded strict action against Barjo for targeting Hindus for conversion. VHP District Minister Krishna Rao said that Christian missionaries like Barjo use derogatory language against Hindu deities. An investigation is going on in the case.
In his complaint, Sandeep stated that about a month ago, he visited a bike spare parts shop near Anupgarh railway station, where he met the shop owner, Aryan and his father, Vinod, whom Sandeep knew for a long time. During a conversation, Aryan and Vinod asked Sandeep if he was married yet, to which he replied negatively. Sandeep alleged that Aryan and Vinod offered to get him married and introduced him to Paulus Barjo, who worked for the Friends Missionary Prayer Band (FMPB) organisation.
Sandeep said that Paulus Barjo told him that if he converted to Christianity, ‘the Lord’ would be pleased and he would get married. Thereafter, the three accused took him to a canal in Prem Nagar and converted him to Christianity by performing some rituals in the water. After Sandeep converted to Christianity, the three accused started harassing him and forced him to bring them more Hindus for conversion.
Paulus Barjo was given an annual conversion target of 20 people by the Christian organisation
On the complaint of Sandeep, the police nabbed Paulus Barjo, who made some shocking revelations. 47-year-old Barjo reportedly admitted that he converted 454 Hindus to Christianity over 11 years. Barjo, originally from Katinggel village in Jharkhand, was a Hindu before he converted to Christianity in 1995. He revealed that his elder brother also converted to Christianity. Barjo joined the FMPB in Chennai in 2003 and was sent to Jhansi for training. After undergoing training for a year, he was sent to the Sikar district in Rajasthan. Between 2004 and 2008, Barjo carried out his conversion activities in several districts of Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana. Subsequently, he came to Anupgarh in 2008 and stayed there till 2016. After working in several other states, he came back to Anupgarh in 2022 and has been staying at Vinod’s house.
Barjo disclosed that the FMPB gave an annual target of converting at least 20 people. For this, the organisation paid him a monthly salary of ₹9 thousand, along with allowances covering rent, food, expenses for spiritual gatherings, travel expenses and children’s school fee. Police seized several documents from Barjo’s possession, including a register in which he entered the names and details of people he had converted so far.
Christian organisation planning to build churches in the area
Further revealing his missionary activities, Barjo said that he used to meet poor, vulnerable or diseased Hindu people and lure them to convert to Christianity. Names of two more people, Shyamlal and Surjeet, have also surfaced in connection with the case. Barjo, Shyamlal and Surjeet were placed by the organisation in Anupgarh and nearby villages to meet their annual target.The organisation has reportedly been planning to build churches in the villages of 2 PGM and 36 GB, for which the land has already been purchased. Vinod has donated ₹3.5 lakh for the church.
VHP demands strict action in the case
As per reports, the organisation had been planning to build churches in the villages of 2 PGM and 36 GB, for which the land has already been purchased. Vinod has donated ₹3.5 lakh for the church. Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has demanded strict action against Barjo for targeting Hindus for conversion. VHP District Minister Krishna Rao said that Christian missionaries like Barjo use derogatory language against Hindu deities.
An investigation is going on in the case.
