Udaseen Taksaal Raises Alarm Over Alleged Illegal Religious Conversions in Punjab

• Jun 4, 2025

Punjab, June 4, 2025:
Udaseen Taksaal International, a prominent religious organization, has launched an awareness campaign across Punjab, raising concerns about what it calls a growing problem of illegal religious conversions. Led by Sant Gurpreet Singh Udasi, who returned to India from the United States a year ago, the Taksaal is calling for legal and administrative reforms to curb what it describes as exploitative and deceptive practices driving these conversions.

Speaking on behalf of the Taksaal, Baba Gurpreet Singh asserted that individuals who convert to Christianity should not continue to use Sikh religious symbols, such as the turban, or retain Sikh names, as it causes confusion about their actual faith. He emphasized that conversions should be conducted legally, with individuals officially updating their identification and relinquishing any Scheduled Caste (SC) benefits granted under their former religious affiliation.

He also urged the Punjab government to enforce the Drugs and Magical Remedies Act, arguing that so-called miracle cures and deceptive spiritual practices are being misused to influence vulnerable individuals into converting.

Highlighting similar legislative actions in other parts of India, Gurpreet Singh Udasi noted that states like Uttar Pradesh, under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, have enacted laws to prevent illegal conversions. He criticized the Punjab government for what he termed as inaction on a matter of growing public concern.

The Taksaal’s call for action has received backing from a cross-section of religious and social leaders. Those present at a recent gathering included Mahant Arun Giri Ji of Shri Panch Dashnam Bhairav Juna Akhara, Balwinder Singh Khalsa of the Guru Tegh Bahadur Charitable Trust, and Namdhari representatives such as Sant Davinder Singh, Pritpal Singh Namdhari, and Rinku Namdhari. Davinder Singh Pehalwan, known for his involvement in the Dharm Jagran campaign, also endorsed the message.

In a joint statement, the leaders condemned what they see as governmental negligence and urged immediate intervention to safeguard Punjab’s religious and cultural fabric. They warned that if their demands are ignored, public mobilisation around the issue will grow stronger.

While the issue of religious conversions remains legally and socially complex, the Taksaal’s renewed activism has reignited a sensitive debate in Punjab over identity, religious freedom, and governance.