Modi govt flayed over ‘conversion’ drama; victims deny leaving Islam

Indian activists of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) pose while raising slogans during a rally to mark the 22nd anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Masjid Mosque in Ayodhya, in Amritsar, in this Dec. 6, 2014 photo. Hindu hardliners demolished the Babri Mosque on December 6, 1992. (AFP) DELHI: India’s opposition parties attacked the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-led government a day after Muslims who were supposedly converted denied embracing Hinduism at a ceremony on Monday. The government washed its hands of the issue, saying law and order is a state subject. The 57 Muslim families in Agra, who were claimed to have been ‘converted’ to Hinduism by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) said that they were misled by militant Hindu outfits — Bajrang Dal and Dharma Jagran Samanvay Vibhag — into believing that the event was for registering them as BPL families and not for religious conversion. The two pro-Hindu parties claimed to have converted the Muslim families to Hinduism at a ceremony called “Purkhon ki ghar vapsi” (Coming home of the ancestors). According to reports, RSS regional head Rajeshwar Singh said more than 200 Muslims were “brought back to Hinduism” in the mass event. Singh further said nearly 5,000 more Muslims and Christians will be “brought back into Hindu fold” in Aligarh on Dec. 25. Raising the issue in the Rajya Sabha, Bahujan Samajwadi Party chief Mayawati said: “This is a serious matter as allurement was given to poor to get them converted.” “The government should take serious note of the Agra incident ... strict action should be taken,” she said, warning that such forced conversions would create and breed communal tension in the country. Forced conversions should be stopped, she demanded as members from Congress, Left, Trinamool Congress joined her. AGENCIES