At a press conference on Tuesday, Ekbote had levelled a series of charges against Pastor Peter Silway of the Church accusing him of carrying out illegal activities in the premises of the church. Ekbote had also demanded police action against Silway.

The Church, in release issued on Wednesday, maintained that Ekbote was disturbing peace and communal harmony in the area and termed his allegations as false, baseless and without any substance.

In a press note, the Church said that the accusations of illegal activities have no proof. The land has been purchased legally by the Christian community and is used for worship and prayer. For the past nineteen years there has been no disharmony and Dapodi has remained a peaceful place. Ekbote, who has failed politically and wants to win the sentiments of the Hindu people, has an eye on the vote bank. Our church is an ingenious church, which has no foreign funds, the release from the Church said.

“It is a purely local church. Ekbote has alleged that there is conversion taking place which is false. It is just conviction of the heart. None is made to change their name or religion whatsoever. Highly placed people like Ex Pune police commissioner D N Jadhav, Nana Shitole, MLC Laxman Jagtap and local corporator Sunny Ohal have attended our church meetings and have they been converted, the Church has said.

The oil that Ekbote has alleged to be manufactured by the Church is plain edible coconut oil purchased from the local market.

It contains no medicines or herbs whatsoever and has no inherent power to heal anyone. It is only a point of contact. It is based on the Bible quotation given in James 5: 14-15 which says that if anyone is sick let him call for the elders of the Church and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil, in the name of the Lord and the prayer of faith shall save the sick.

The applying of the oil is Biblical, that is done all over the world in all Christian communities, the release added.

Ekbote has alleged that the sermons of pastor Silway has hurt the sentiments of Hindus and Buddhists. If this was true, a large number of cosmopolitan people of more than 20,000 would not converge for the weekly meetings.