Taking cognisance of HJS complaint, Minister of State Yogesh Kadam promises immediate action to stop conversion activities on local trains
Mumbai – The Maharashtra Government will prepare a special Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to permanently curb religious conversion efforts by Christian missionaries, and the spread of superstitious advertisements by fraudulent babas in Mumbai’s suburban local trains. This assurance was given by Maharashtra’s Minister of State for Home, Yogesh Kadam, to a delegation from the Hindu Janjagruti Samiti. He further informed that a joint meeting between the Mumbai Police Commissioner and Railway Administration will be convened at the earliest.
Local Trains being misused for Missionary activities and fraudulent advertisements
The Hindu Janjagruti Samiti has flagged the issue of pamphlets containing messages such as “Do you need a lifeline?” and “Jesus is the only God” being placed in air-conditioned locals on the Panvel–CSMT route and other trains. These pamphlets, aim to influence Hindu passengers and encourage religious conversions.
Similarly, trains on the Central, Western, and Harbour lines carry misleading advertisements promoting claims like “Serious illnesses such as cancer can be cured through prayer alone”, “Bengali Baba”, and “100% Vashikaran”. The Samiti has highlighted that such advertisements are exploiting innocent commuters both financially and psychologically.
The Hindu Janjagruti Samiti had earlier submitted memorandums to the Director General of Police and the General Manager of Central Railway, demanding the registration of criminal cases against the main perpetrators. The organisation had also warned of launching a large-scale public agitation if concrete action was not taken within 15 days.
Prompt action promised by the Minister of State for Home
On 25 June, senior functionaries of the Hindu Janjagruti Samiti — Shri. Sunil Ghanwat, Shri. Satish Sonar, and Shri. Ravindra Nalawade met Minister Yogesh Kadam and apprised him of the issue in detail.
The Minister acknowledged that the problem has persisted for a long time and requires decisive intervention. He has directed the concerned authorities to immediately conduct a comprehensive study and prepare a dedicated Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to address it effectively.
Key Demands raised by the Hindu Janjagruti Samiti
- Beyond routine measures, the entire network should be thoroughly exposed. This includes launching a Railway WhatsApp helpline and increasing patrolling by plainclothes police personnel.
- The Cyber Police must investigate all mobile numbers and websites featured in these advertisements. Criminal cases should be registered against the fraudulent babas, involved organisations, and printing presses responsible for such material, with their licences permanently revoked.
- The Railway Administration should release a White Paper detailing all actions taken against such illegal and misleading advertisements in the last five years for public scrutiny.
HJS flags organised conversion network in Mumbai local trains; demands immediate crackdown on those behind it
Jun 23, 2026
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Memorandum submitted to DGP, Home Department and Genral Manager of Central Railway
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HJS warns of public agitation if action is not taken within 15 days
Mumbai – A shocking revelation has come to light regarding the suburban railway network of Mumbai, widely regarded as the ‘lifeline’ for lakhs of working-class commuters. The suburban trains are reportedly becoming active centres for serious and antisocial activities. Severe public outrage is being expressed by passengers over a secret ‘conversion campaign’ run by Christian missionaries and instances of open ‘hypocrisy’ on trains, particularly on the ‘AC’ local trains operating on the Panvel–CSMT route.
Pamphlets put up by Christian missionaries in ‘AC’ local trains and other railway local trains with the intention of religious conversion !
Mumbai Local becoming a hub for conversion activities and fraudulent practices; register cases against main operators or face public… pic.twitter.com/fPtCTXvilN
— Sunil Ghanwat 🛕🛕 (@SG_HJS) June 20, 2026
Taking these occurrences with utmost seriousness, the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) has dispatched a detailed memorandum to the Director General of Police (DGP) of the State, the Home Department, and the General Manager of Central Railway. The Samiti has demanded that criminal cases be registered immediately against the masterminds orchestrating these activities, as well as the printing presses responsible for publishing their promotional material. Furthermore, a direct ultimatum has been issued to the administration, warning that a massive public agitation will be launched if concrete steps are not taken within the next 15 days.
According to the memorandum, a well-planned web of religious conversion is being spread inside railway compartments by taking undue advantage of the emotional and mental vulnerabilities of distressed passengers. Pamphlets bearing highly emotional titles such as “Do you want a lifeline?” and “Jesus is God” are being systematically distributed inside the coaches to allegedly ‘brainwash’ dejected or troubled commuters. This exposes a vast network, which traps unsuspecting passengers into the conversion net by providing specific website addresses, such as ‘ThisLoveStory.org’, on these printed advertisements. Such blatant misuse of railway public property is entirely unacceptable.
Alongside this conversion campaign, the compartments are flooded with advertisements that actively promote blind faith and superstition. Unscientific and fraudulent claims are being made through posters of Christian missionary fathers’ “healing sessions” (Changai Sabhas), falsely promising to cure terminal and critical illnesses like cancer through mere prayers. Additionally, misleading advertisements by figures such as ‘Bengali Baba’, promising “100% Vashikaran” (hypnotic control) and remedies for love affairs, are financially exploiting vulnerable passengers. Despite these offences being strictly non-bailable under the Anti-Superstition and Black Magic Act, the Railway Administration has remained a mute spectator.
Speaking on the matter, Shri Sunil Ghanwat, the State Organiser of Hindu Janajagruti Samiti for Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh, stated that instead of relying on superficial or cosmetic measures, the authorities must now take decisive action against the root causes. He asserted that the Railways must immediately introduce a dedicated ‘WhatsApp Helpline’ to enable passengers to file instantaneous complaints. Furthermore, he demanded the deployment of special plain-clothes railway security teams to catch these elements red-handed.
Shri. Ghanwat also demanded that the cyber police conduct a rigorous investigation into the phone numbers and websites provided in these advertisements to track down, identify, and register criminal cases against the concerned institutions, missionary fathers, and fraudulent babas, alongside cancelling their operational licences.
HJS has additionally demanded that the Railway Administration publish a comprehensive White Paper detailing exactly what punitive actions have been taken against such unauthorised advertisements over the past five years.
