Name is Hindu or Sikh, religion is Christian, target is poor Dalits, how the pastors in Punjab weaved a web of illusion with ‘miracles’

arun Posted On March 17, 2025

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Christian preachers in Punjab are playing a big game of conversion by promising magical cures for incurable diseases, promising to become rich overnight, guaranteeing visas. These pastors did not change their names after accepting Christianity and continued the traditions of Sikh-Hindu religion in their churches. These pastors have also spread a web of illusion on social media.

Authored by Vishwanath Suman

Self-proclaimed pastors of Punjab also have millions of followers on social media
They inspire Dalits to come to prayer meetings and read the Bible
They convert people by telling stories of treatment and coming out of poverty

Self-proclaimed pastors in Punjab are converting people by opening churches

Chandigarh: Recently, a woman accused Pastor Bajinder Singh of ‘The Church of Glory and Wisdom’ in Jalandhar, Punjab of sexual harassment. In this case, a case was registered against Bajinder Singh in Kapurthala. Earlier in 2023, 12 locations of another pastor Ankur Narula were raided. Similarly, many serious allegations have been made against many pastors preaching Christianity in Punjab, but the number of their followers is continuously increasing. These pastors associated with the Pentecostal Church like to call themselves ‘Papa’ and share videos of miracles on social media. Due to these alleged miracles, the process of religious conversion has increased rapidly in Punjab, their target is the Dalits of the state.

‘Papas’ who convert people to religion are dominant in Punjab

‘Papas’ who convert people to religion like Pastor Raman Hans, Ankur Narula, Bajinder Singh and Harpreet Deol are dominant in Punjab right now. If you scroll on social media apps, you will see videos of miracles of pastors. Earlier, Christian missionaries operating in the tribal areas of Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh have been accused of converting people by luring them. Now in Punjab, ‘Papas’ associated with the Pentecostal Church are setting up darbars by making claims like miraculous cures, exorcising ghosts, getting rid of financial crisis, addiction and getting visas. After opposition from many organizations in Punjab, these pastors started their political party United Punjab Party for Punjabi Christians in 2023.

Why did they not change their names, why the turban and songs in Punjabi?

These Papas showed cleverness that even after adopting Christianity, they did not change their names and also do not force their followers to change their names. They themselves wear turbans in the meetings and everyone uses Punjabi language. They also adopt Sikh traditions like langar and seva. Punjabi songs are played in the magical meetings of Papas in rural areas. In the video of a pastor named Raman Hans, the sound of the song ‘Yeshu ji tera palla chhukar, main changi ho jawangi’ can be heard in the background. In which he is claiming that the child suffering from blood cancer sitting in his lap became healthy due to his prayers. Raman Hans, who runs a church named Miracle Testimony in Chamkaur Sahib, has more than 7 lakh subscribers on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. These pastors have two conditions, first, the followers must come to their Sunday meeting and second, read the Bible. Bajinder Singh was also accused of rape and murder Due to social media, his followers are in other states of the country. Bajinder Singh, originally from Karnal in Haryana, has a church in New Chandigarh, Mohali. The organization claims that ‘The Church of Glory and Wisdom’ has 260 branches across the country. Bajinder Singh held a big meeting in Gumla, Jharkhand in January 2024, which was attended by a large crowd. Bajinder Singh, who claims to perform miracles, has more than 58 lakh subscribers on social media. Born in a Hindu Jat family, Bajinder Singh has also been to jail 15 years ago in a murder case. In 2018, a woman from Zirakpur had also accused him of rape. He was also arrested in this case. In 2023 also, Income Tax raids were conducted at his locations.

Orchestra also present in Ankur Narula’s meeting

Ankur Narula, one of the preachers of the Pentecostal Church in Punjab, was part of a Hindu-Arora family before becoming a Christian. Now Ankur Narula runs a church by the name of Ministry and claims to save people from evil spirits, cure incurable diseases and remove financial problems. There is also an online service for followers sitting far away, in which he asks for personal details and photos. Solution through miracles is free. Ankur Narula claims that his church is the biggest and fastest growing church in Punjab. Narula, who wears white kurta-pyjama, has videos of ‘miracles’ on social media. A big orchestra and backup singers are also present in his miracle meetings. Income Tax Department has also taken action against Ankur Narula.

IT raid has been conducted on Harpreet Daol

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Pastor Harpreet Deol has been running the Open Door Church in Khojewala village of Kapurthala district of Punjab for a long time. Harpreet Deol, who cured cancer through his treatment and prayers, his father Harbhajan Singh converted to Islam in 1988. In the year 2023, the Income Tax Department raided Harpreet’s locations. The IT Department had to deploy a team of 50 officers to investigate his locations including Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Amritsar, New Chandigarh, Mohali. Harpreet Deol has influence in the politics of the reserved Lok Sabha constituency Jalandhar, where the maximum number of Dalits have converted.

‘Papas’ played mind games in conversion too

The Christian population in Punjab is expected to increase due to miraculous pastors. According to the 2011 census, the Christian population in Punjab was only 1.26 percent. The big game in these figures is that the names and surnames of the Dalit Ravidasiya community, who have been converted on a large scale by the pastors, have not been changed. According to the rules, Dalits will not be entitled to reservation after conversion. Most of the pastors themselves are from Jat Sikh and Hindu communities. Talking to Times of India, JNU professor SS Jodhka said that most people are lured by the promise of ‘miracles’. Political Science professor Ronki Ram says that in the last few decades the state has not been able to fulfill its responsibilities like good education and health care, so the pastors are fooling the innocent people by claiming to cure. In despair, anyone who gives hope starts to look like God.