‘5000 Christians and Muslims to embrace Hinduism’
Agencies
New Delhi, December 10
The religious conversion of some 200 people in Uttar Pradesh raised sharp protests in Parliament on Wednesday with the opposition demanding an explanation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government. An FIR or police complaint has been filed against the conversions organized on Monday in Agra reportedly by groups linked to the ruling BJP's ideological mentor RSS or Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
While the BJP has denied any role in the conversions, its firebrand MP Adityanath has declared that he will go ahead with a similar event planned in Aligarh on December 25 to convert Christians and Muslims.
"This is not conversion but homecoming. My program is in Aligarh and it will happen - those who want to return voluntarily will be welcome," Adityanath said today as his party confronted a furious opposition in Parliament.
"The House and the country need reassurance that the Constitution will not be violated. It is a diabolical plan by the BJP," said Congress leader Anand Sharma in the Rajya Sabha.
"The Prime Minister must clarify," said Left leader Sitaram Yechury.
A criminal case for cheating and promoting enmity was filed today in Uttar Pradesh on the complaint of a villager who has alleged that 57 Muslim families chosen from a rag-pickers' colony were given inducements like I-cards for welfare schemes to convert to Hinduism.
The ceremony, allegedly organized by activists of the Bajrang Dal and Dharam Jagran Samanvyay Vibhag, featured chanting by priests while the converts, wearing skull caps, made offerings at a ritual fire or havan.
The organisers claim that the families were originally Hindu and converted to Islam around 30 years ago.
The FIR names only one Kishore Valmiki, a villager who allegedly informed the families about the ceremony. "Arrest is the next step. We will not allow forced conversions," said Ram Gopal Yadav of the Samajwadi Party, which rules Uttar Pradesh.
Muslim groups demand action, protection
Islamic organisations took to the streets on Wednesday protesting the alleged forced conversion of 57 Muslim families to Hinduism and demanding protection to vulnerable members of the community.
A meeting was held at Mantola, a Muslim-majority area, where protesters blocked the main road running through it.
Leaders and clerics cautioned the district administration to impose strict checks on people loyal to hard-line Hindu outfits such as the Bajrang Dal.
Mufti Abdul Khubeb Rumi condemned the alleged trickery used by organisers of Monday’s conversion camp to lure poor Muslim families into it with the promise of ration cards and other doles.
He said those involved in wrongful deeds must be brought to book but appealed to Muslims to adopt “peaceful measures to counter notorious elements indulging in conversions”.
The mufti said these families would continue to be Muslim despite their conversion because there’s no need for a re-entry into Islam.
“There had been queries regarding the religious status of these 57 families. These Muslims have denied being converted to Hinduism and so they continue to be Muslim.”
Cleric Syed Ikhtiyar Jafri echoed the mufti’s views. “Any conversion made under force or forgery is no conversion. It is matter of belief and once they stated that they haven’t switched to Hinduism, there is no need for them to follow any formal ritual to return to Islam.”
Haji Jamiluddin Qureshi, president of the Rashtriya Sarvdaliya Muslim Action Committee, held the the Narendra Modi government responsible for not restraining groups like the Bajrang Dal from fomenting trouble. “Such incidents have created an atmosphere of fear among Muslims and sparked communalism. Bajrang Dal people intend to disturb the peace and harmony.”
Later, the protesters submitted a memorandum to the additional district magistrate and the superintendent of police. SP Sameer Saurabh said forces were stationed at sensitive places.
Hindu groups to go ahead with conversions
Hindu radical groups on Wednesday declared to go ahead with their conversion events, couched as homecoming ceremonies, lined up this month despite the controversy over a similar function in Agra two days ago.
Sunil Singh, state president of the Hindu Yuva Vahini that Yogi Adityanath had floated, said there’s no change in plan to convert over 2,000 people in a huge programme at Ghazipur in eastern Uttar Pradesh on December 18.
“We have taken permission from the administration. The Hindu Yuva Vahini plays a key role in ghar wapsi (homecoming) of people who have embraced Christianity or Islam by coercion or otherwise.”
He said several Muslims in Gorakhpur wanted to convert to Hinduism and around 1,200 people changed their faith at a camp in Kushinagar district two months ago.
Singh denied allegations that people were converted at the Gorakhnath temple in Gorakhpur, where firebrand BJP MP Adityanath is the head priest.
Rajeshwar Singh, the regional head of the outfit, said the FIR was unjustified. “But it will have no impact on our plan for a conversion programme in Aligarh on Christmas. Nearly 5,000 Christians and Muslims will embrace Hinduism that day,” he said.
An RSS leader said the homecoming functions in December would be hosted as scheduled. “We have events on December 23 for Muslims who had converted from Hinduism and voluntarily want to return to the Hindu fold. On December 25, we plan to have a similar function for Christians.”
