Jaipur: In one of the first cases registered under Rajasthan’s recently-enacted anti-conversion law, two Christian pastors have been booked in Kota district on the basis of complaints lodged by Hindutva outfits who alleged that they were carrying out illegal conversions.

One of the pastors named in the case has denied the allegations and has said that no conversion was being carried out in the event.

The FIR, lodged at the Borkhera police station in Kota on November 20 has booked pastor Arun John of the Beersheba church in Kota and pastor Chandy Varghese, the founder of Zion Global Worship Centre in New Delhi under section 299 (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the BNS along with sections 3 and 5 of the Rajasthan Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2025.

“The Beersheba church of god in Borkhera had organised a programme called Atmik Satsang between November 4 and 6. In that Satsang, Chandy Varghese, a pastor from Delhi was invited who arrived with his team. It has been alleged that their speeches provoked people for conversion. We have registered an FIR against John and Varghese and further investigation is being conducted. So far, no arrests have been made,” Devesh Bhardwaj, SHO, Borkhera police station in Kota told The Wire.

Bhardwaj added that the allegations of conversion first started making rounds after a video from the event organised by the Beersheba church was circulated on social media.

The FIR in the case was registered on the basis of complaints of Yogesh Rainwal, the Prant Sanyojak of the Bajrang Dal, Mukesh Sharma, the Mahanagar Saha Mantri of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Hariom Sharma, the Sewa Pramukh of the VHP.

“In the Beersheba Church located on Canal Road in Borkheda police station area, Arun John called Christian missionaries Pastor Chandy Varghese and other pastors from Delhi and from 4th November to 6th November 2025, Hindus were converted conspiratorially in the name of spiritual discourse and this evil act is continuing in the name of prayer,” says the FIR written in Hindi.

“In the video, Pastor Chandy Varghese is saying by pointing towards the Rajasthan government that tomorrow Christianity is going to increase in Rajasthan. People in Rajasthan will be freed from the shackles of sin, Satan rules in Rajasthan. By removing this and implementing Christianity here, Jesus and Christianity will rule,” the complainants have alleged in the FIR.

The Hindutva groups have alleged that some Hindu youths had said in the programme that they were converted by baptism.

Pastor denies allegations of conversion

After the FIR was registered, pastor John denied the allegations that people were converted in the gathering.

“Since the last three years, we have been organising Atmik Satsang every year. I have been living in Borkhera for 13 years but there has been no such problem so far. Videos have been edited, and being spread to people along with false accusations. We cannot encourage this. The Atmik Satsang is for everyone. It is totally wrong to level such allegations and spread such false videos,” John told the media after the incident.

John added that he has given all the details to the police.

“We had also informed the SDM office beforehand. The event was being streamed live online on my channel. Everyone can see for themselves if there is anything wrong. In the Atmik Satsang, we are not levelling any wrong allegations against any religion. What Jesus has taught in the Bible, that is what we have learnt. If we tell someone to follow the right path, ask them to leave the wrong path, quit addictions, if this is conversion, what can we say on this. It is totally wrong to disturb people by terming everything as conversion,” he added.

In September this year, the Rajasthan assembly passed the Rajasthan Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Bill, 2025, which has the provision for life imprisonment as the maximum punishment for illegal religious conversion.

The law brought in by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state has provisions for prolonged imprisonment for offenders, including imprisonment of 14 years, 20 years and life imprisonment in certain cases. It also has provisions for monetary fines ranging up to Rs 50 lakh.

However, these provisions would not apply to those who convert back to their original religion.

‘Ghar Wapsi’ – literally, ‘homecoming’ – is the Sangh Parivar-led programme of religious conversion to Hinduism from Islam, Christianity, and other religions in India. The Sangh’s position is that all Indians were originally Hindus and thus this conversion will necessarily mean a ‘return’.

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