Hindutva groups disrupt Easter prayer meeting in Gujarat alleging religious conversions

Another incident involving the Hindutva brigades belonging to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal intruding on a Christian prayer service on Easter, creating an atmosphere of fear while shouting 'Jai Shri Ram' and 'Har Har Mahadev' amid allegations of religious conversion, was reported in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad district on Sunday.

The incident occurred in the Odhav area, where around 100 Christians had gathered in a private hall to observe the festival.

Following the disruption, the Ahmedabad Police registered a first information report against 10 persons and launched an investigation, although the identities of those named in the FIR remained unclear, according to The Indian Express.

A video of the incident, which circulated widely on social media, showed the intruding groups wielding sticks and chanting slogans associated with Hindu nationalism.

Police officials stated that the two groups had entered the venue during the event and confronted attendees, questioning them about their religious background and accusing the organisers of conducting illegal religious conversions. The police had taken both the Hindutva organisations and the prayer group to the police station, where each side filed complaints against the other.

Applications were filed by both sides, with the Bajrang Dal worker seeking an investigation into the alleged conversions, while another complaint was lodged by a participant of the event against the individuals who forcefully entered the hall. Despite the accusations, police officials confirmed that no evidence of religious conversions was found during the course of their inquiry at the site.