Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Several Protestant and independent churches across Maharashtra are scaling back, cancelling or restricting their Vacation Bible School (VBS) programmes to Christian children amid fears of disruptions by right-wing groups and the implementation of the state’s new anti-conversion law.
Churches in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Vasai-Virar, Palghar and Pune are approaching the programmes with caution during the summer and Diwali breaks.
Traditionally, VBS is a time for fun and learning, featuring songs, games, crafts and Bible stories for children aged 5 to 15. Christian children usually attend these programmes alongside friends from different faiths.
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However, some churches are now skipping the programmes or restricting participation to Christian children to avoid allegations of religious conversion.
The change comes against the backdrop of the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act and a series of incidents in which right-wing groups disrupted prayer meetings and other religious gatherings, alleging illegal conversions.
Gatherings held in rented commercial spaces, banquet halls and private residences have faced disruptions, resulting in police complaints and FIRs. This has heightened fears among organisers of similar confrontations during children’s camps.
On August 27, India Today reported how churches in Mumbai and other parts of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region had started asking churchgoers to sign self-declaration forms ahead of the anti-conversion law coming into force on August 28. The forms were introduced as a precautionary measure amid concerns over intervention during prayer meetings and allegations of forced conversions.
Similarly, pastors organising VBS programmes are adopting measures such as putting up banners, registering children in advance and charging fees to establish that no child was lured into attending the camps. Churches are also installing CCTV cameras and maintaining records of unfamiliar visitors.
The Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act criminalises forced, fraudulent or allurement-based religious conversions. The law has added to the apprehensions of church organisers, who fear that children’s activities could also attract allegations of inducement or religious conversion.
Pastor Sam K Mathai, secretary of the Palghar Zilla Masih Sangati, said pastors in Vasai-Virar and Palghar excluded children of other faiths from VBS programmes in April for the first time and would continue the practice during the Diwali break.
“Churches are adapting measures such as registering children in advance, installing CCTV cameras and keeping records of unfamiliar visitors. Whoever is organising VBS is taking all precautions,” Mathai said.
The restrictions mark a shift in how churches have traditionally conducted VBS programmes following the enactment of Maharashtra’s anti-conversion law. The programmes earlier brought together Christian children and their friends from different religious backgrounds for activities centred on songs, games, crafts and Bible stories.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
