State Minority Commission has sought a report from the Authorities of Agra over the reported conversion of 57 Muslim families to Hinduism on Sunday last.
Official sources said here on Thursday that the Commission has sought the report from Agra District Magistrate Pankaj Kumar and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Salab Mathur to submit their report to the Commission within 72 hours. The Commission has, however, expressed its annoyance over the conversion.
On Sunday last, family members of at least 57 Muslim families were converted to Hinduism at a ceremony ‘Purkhon ki ghar vapsi’, a mass conversion jointly organised by Dharma Jagran Samanvay Vibhag, an offshoot of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and Bajrang Dal in Agra. RSS regional head Rajeshwar Singh had claimed that more than 200 Muslims were ‘brought back to Hinduism’ in the mass event held at Madhunagar area of the city. However, an FIR was registered against an organisor on Tuesday night and police was investigating the incident. Meanwhile reports from Aligarh confirmed that amid a raging row over alleged forced reconversion in Agra, a Hindu organisation has announced its plan to “convert a large number of people” on December 25, which was welcomed by the local BJP MP who said people are within their rights to choose their religion. “A number of people who had earlier left the fold of Hinduism will be reconverted at a grand ceremony to be held at the Maheshwari Inter College in the old city on Christmas,”regional in-charge of the Hindu Jagaran Samiti, Rajeshwar Singh
told reporters on Wednesday evening. “This is not conversion but homecoming for those who had been misled and enticed to leave their original religion earlier,” he added. Singh claimed that a large number of such persons were expected to reconvert in several other districts of western Uttar Pradesh as well. Rajeshwar Singh’s announcement was welcomed by the BJP MP from Aligarh, Satish Gautam. “If people are ready to embrace Hinduism on their own accord and in a peaceful manner, then they are fully within their rights to exercise their choice,” Gautam said.
Meanwhile, leaders of non-BJP political parties here have expressed grave concern over the announcement. “This is not a question of conversion but it is a deliberate move by a political party to polarise society and divide it for political gain. It is a part of the well planned conspiracy. All peace-loving citizens of this city should
beware of the designs of the BJP,” RlD MlA Dalvir Singh said. Congress district spokesman Vivek Bansal said, “The issue is not about conversion or re-conversion. It is a move aimed to aggressively promote religious polarisation and the state government should ensure that peace is not breached. “Religion is a private matter and when political parties get actively associated in such matters, it can only leads to trouble,” he said. The issue of conversion of some Muslims in Agra rocked the Parliament for the second day on Thursday with opposition members creating uproar and demanding immediate discussion on the matter, which they said could have grave consequences likecausing riots. About 100 people, mostly Muslim slum dwellers, werere-converted and “brought back” to the Hindu fold through a
ritual carried out by Hindu organisation Dharma Jagran Manch. The police in Agra registered a case against the outfit and its UP convener Nand Kishore on late Tuesday night and launched investigations into the incident.