Matters India Reporter
Ghaziabad, Dec 23, 2025: A viral video showing the public harassment of a pastor and his wife in Ghaziabad by Sri Satyanisht Arya, formerly known as Sunnyur Rahman, has sparked outrage among rights groups and church leaders, who denounced it as “targeted intimidation” and “hate speech” against a minority community.
The footage shows Arya aggressively confronting Pastor Raju Sadasivam and his wife, questioning their faith, hurling derogatory remarks about Christianity, and filming them without consent. The visibly distressed couple is accused of “conversion activities,” though Arya provides no evidence.
Rahman, a Bangladeshi national, was once a self-proclaimed atheist and blogger linked to Bangladesh’s Shahbag movement. After surviving attacks by Islamist extremists, he fled to India and initially received support from rationalist groups in West Bengal.
In recent years, however, Rahman reinvented himself as Sri Satyanisht Arya, renouncing atheism and embracing Hindutva ideology. His social media content now routinely targets Muslims, Christians, and political leaders, while promoting “ghar wapasi.” Former allies have distanced themselves, accusing him of “abandoning rationalism for communal polarisation and monetised hate speech.”
Christian leaders say the Ghaziabad incident reflects a growing pattern of hostility against pastors, who are increasingly filmed and accused of forced conversions.
“This is not free speech or ideological debate. This is intimidation,” said a church representative, warning that unchecked harassment emboldens perpetrators.