Church of North India: "We dont endorse or believe in forced conversions"

The Church of North India (CNI), dominant Protestant denomination in northern India, has decided to probe allegations of forced conversions that have spurred a series of attacks on Christians in the country.

"Church does not endorse or believe in forced conversions," said Bishop Purely Lyngdoh, the newly elected CNI moderator.

Talking to reporters at its headquarters in New Delhi, Bishop Lyngdoh told Christian Today, "These allegations are false and since the Church is being accused in this, we will conduct a probe."

Hindu fundamentalist groups have been accusing the Church of forced conversion and allurement of tribals to Christianity. The VHP and Bajrang Dal cadres also instigated large scale attacks on Christians, the latest being the August Kandhamal violence which left over 50,000 homeless.

At the recent CNI Synod gathering at Pathankot, Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia, General Secretary of World council of Churches expressed dismal over the attacks on Churches and missionary organisations. In a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the world Church leader urged for peace and protection to the Christians.

"The church is deeply concerned at the repeated allegations of forcible conversions. We always maintained these allegations to be false nonetheless a task force at the WCC is being set up to study the issue and settle the controversy once in for all," CNI said in a statement on Tuesday.

CNI which has a member strength of approximately 15 lakh has joined hands with National United Christian Forum - a united body consisting of CBCI, EFI and NCCI, delving the allegations of "forced conversions".

Archbishop of Delhi Vincent Concessao, who is also the president of NUCF, said the united Forum would expose the "gameplan" of those accusing the Church.

"The Hindutvawadis are not Hindus, they may claim they are Hindus. Their ideology is imported and is against the spirit of the Constitution. They have no roots here," he said.

"This is an opportunity to wake up. We need to have a dialogue among ourselves, we need to make Christianity known on the one hand and expose Hindutva ideology and their strategy on the other."

There have been reports that violence still continues in Orissa's Kandhamal district, where Christians are being threatened to re-convert to Hinduism.