News Analysis India

Tag: Religious Conversion

  • Maha govt panel set up to collect data on inter-faith couples, Opposition slams ‘retrograde’ move

    By Online Desk

    MUMBAI: In a disturbing development, the Maharashtra government has set up a committee to gather information on inter-faith and inter-caste marriage couples and the maternal families of the women involved if they are estranged. The panel will have 13 members from government and non-government fields to study policies regarding related welfare schemes and laws.

    The opposition Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has condemned the “retrograde” step, stating that the Eknath Shinde government had no right to spy on the personal lives of people. Senior NCP leader and former state minister Jitendra Awhad tweeted, “What’s this rubbish of committee to check inter-caste/religion marriages? Who is govt to spy on who marries whom? In liberal Maharashtra this a retrograde, nauseating step. Which way is progressive Maharashtra heading towards. Stay away from people’s private life.”

    A Government Resolution (GR) issued on Tuesday by the state’s Women and Child Development Department said the “Intercaste/Interfaith marriage-family coordination committee (state level)” will be headed by Lodha.

    They will hold regular meetings with district officials and collect information on registered and unregistered inter-faith and inter-caste marriages including elopement, it said.

    The committee will monitor district-level initiatives for women involved in such marriages who may be estranged from their families, so that assistance can be provided if necessary, it said. Women and their families can also use the platform to avail of counselling and resolve issues.

    ALSO READ | Anti-conversion law: MP govt to move SC against interim relief from action given to interfaith couples

    State minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha who is heading the committee head claimed it was “an attempt to ensure that the Shraddha Walkar case does not happen again.”

    “The fact that Walkar’s family was not aware that she had died six months ago is scary… the committee is being set up to ensure women in such marriages are not away from their families,” he said.

    Walkar was murdered allegedly by her partner Aaftab Poonawala in Delhi in May this year who had strangled and cut her body into 35 pieces which he kept in a 300-litre fridge for almost three weeks at his residence in Mehrauli, before dumping them across the city over several days.

    READ HERE | Anti-conversion laws, tedious Special Marriage Act hurt interfaith unions

    Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had recently said that his government would study laws on freedom of religion enacted by other states, but had not yet decided on introducing a similar law in the western state.

    “Love jihad”, used by right-wing activists, alleges a ‘ploy’ by Muslim men to lure Hindu women into conversion through marriage.

    (With PTI inputs)

    MUMBAI: In a disturbing development, the Maharashtra government has set up a committee to gather information on inter-faith and inter-caste marriage couples and the maternal families of the women involved if they are estranged. The panel will have 13 members from government and non-government fields to study policies regarding related welfare schemes and laws.

    The opposition Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has condemned the “retrograde” step, stating that the Eknath Shinde government had no right to spy on the personal lives of people. Senior NCP leader and former state minister Jitendra Awhad tweeted, “What’s this rubbish of committee to check inter-caste/religion marriages? Who is govt to spy on who marries whom? In liberal Maharashtra this a retrograde, nauseating step. Which way is progressive Maharashtra heading towards. Stay away from people’s private life.”

    A Government Resolution (GR) issued on Tuesday by the state’s Women and Child Development Department said the “Intercaste/Interfaith marriage-family coordination committee (state level)” will be headed by Lodha.

    They will hold regular meetings with district officials and collect information on registered and unregistered inter-faith and inter-caste marriages including elopement, it said.

    The committee will monitor district-level initiatives for women involved in such marriages who may be estranged from their families, so that assistance can be provided if necessary, it said. Women and their families can also use the platform to avail of counselling and resolve issues.

    ALSO READ | Anti-conversion law: MP govt to move SC against interim relief from action given to interfaith couples

    State minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha who is heading the committee head claimed it was “an attempt to ensure that the Shraddha Walkar case does not happen again.”

    “The fact that Walkar’s family was not aware that she had died six months ago is scary… the committee is being set up to ensure women in such marriages are not away from their families,” he said.

    Walkar was murdered allegedly by her partner Aaftab Poonawala in Delhi in May this year who had strangled and cut her body into 35 pieces which he kept in a 300-litre fridge for almost three weeks at his residence in Mehrauli, before dumping them across the city over several days.

    READ HERE | Anti-conversion laws, tedious Special Marriage Act hurt interfaith unions

    Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had recently said that his government would study laws on freedom of religion enacted by other states, but had not yet decided on introducing a similar law in the western state.

    “Love jihad”, used by right-wing activists, alleges a ‘ploy’ by Muslim men to lure Hindu women into conversion through marriage.

    (With PTI inputs)

  • Issue of forced conversions ‘serious’ and might affect security of nation: SC

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Terming the issue of fraudulent and forced religious conversion as ‘serious’ and ‘dangerous,’ Supreme Court on Monday asked centre to file affidavit by Nov 22 detailing steps taken against forcible conversion. 

    The court warned a “very difficult situation” will emerge if proselytisation through deception, allurement and intimidation is not stopped.

    The bench of Justices MR Shah and Hima Kohli said said, “Everyone has right to freedom of religion but not by forced conversion. It’s a very dangerous thing.” 

    The bench also added that the issue might ultimately affect the security of the nation as well as the freedom of religion and conscience of the citizens. 

    “The issue with respect to the alleged conversion of religion, if it is found to be correct and true, is a very serious issue which may ultimately affect the security of the nation as well as the freedom of religion and conscience of the citizens. Therefore, it is better that Union government may make their stand clear and file counter on what further steps can be taken by Union and/or others to curb such forced conversion maybe by force, allurement or fraudulent means,” the court said. 

    Responding to Solicitor General Tushar Mehta’s contention that religious conversion is rampant in tribal areas, the bench said, “You have to step in now.”

    Mehta submitted before the top court that the issue was debated even in the Constituent Assembly.

    “There were two Acts. One was by the Odisha government and another one by Madhya Pradesh dealing with regulation of any forcible conversion by deceit, falsehood or fraud, money. These issues came before this court for consideration and the top court upheld the validity,” Mehta said.

    The solicitor general said forced religious conversions are rampant in tribal areas.

    ALSO READ | High priest tells Sikh youth to turn martial, flags rise in conversions

    Many a time the victims are not aware they are the subject matter of criminal offence and would say they are being helped, Mehta said.

    The top court observed there may be freedom of religion but there cannot be freedom of religion by forced conversion.

    The court’s remarks came in a plea filed by BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay to declare religious conversion by fraud, intimidation, threat and deceiving by luring gifts and monetary benefits as violative of fundamental rights. 

    Upadhyay’s plea which was filed against the backdrop of suicide of 17 year old girl Lavanya in Tamil Nadu had sought for taking stringent steps to control religious conversion and as an alternative prayed for directing the Law Commission of India to prepare a report as well as a bill to control “Deceit Religious Conversion”. 

    “There is not even one district which is free of religious conversion by hook and crook and the carrot and the stick,” the plea stated. It was also argued that the situation is alarming as many individuals and organisations are carrying out mass conversions of SC-STs in rural areas. 

    “The mass conversion of socially economically underprivileged people, particularly belonging to SC-ST, has been on a steep rise for the last 2 decades. These organisations operate very smoothly targeting socially economically underprivileged sections particularly belonging to the SC-ST community,” the plea also stated.

    (With inputs from PTI)

    NEW DELHI: Terming the issue of fraudulent and forced religious conversion as ‘serious’ and ‘dangerous,’ Supreme Court on Monday asked centre to file affidavit by Nov 22 detailing steps taken against forcible conversion. 

    The court warned a “very difficult situation” will emerge if proselytisation through deception, allurement and intimidation is not stopped.

    The bench of Justices MR Shah and Hima Kohli said said, “Everyone has right to freedom of religion but not by forced conversion. It’s a very dangerous thing.” 

    The bench also added that the issue might ultimately affect the security of the nation as well as the freedom of religion and conscience of the citizens. 

    “The issue with respect to the alleged conversion of religion, if it is found to be correct and true, is a very serious issue which may ultimately affect the security of the nation as well as the freedom of religion and conscience of the citizens. Therefore, it is better that Union government may make their stand clear and file counter on what further steps can be taken by Union and/or others to curb such forced conversion maybe by force, allurement or fraudulent means,” the court said. 

    Responding to Solicitor General Tushar Mehta’s contention that religious conversion is rampant in tribal areas, the bench said, “You have to step in now.”

    Mehta submitted before the top court that the issue was debated even in the Constituent Assembly.

    “There were two Acts. One was by the Odisha government and another one by Madhya Pradesh dealing with regulation of any forcible conversion by deceit, falsehood or fraud, money. These issues came before this court for consideration and the top court upheld the validity,” Mehta said.

    The solicitor general said forced religious conversions are rampant in tribal areas.

    ALSO READ | High priest tells Sikh youth to turn martial, flags rise in conversions

    Many a time the victims are not aware they are the subject matter of criminal offence and would say they are being helped, Mehta said.

    The top court observed there may be freedom of religion but there cannot be freedom of religion by forced conversion.

    The court’s remarks came in a plea filed by BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay to declare religious conversion by fraud, intimidation, threat and deceiving by luring gifts and monetary benefits as violative of fundamental rights. 

    Upadhyay’s plea which was filed against the backdrop of suicide of 17 year old girl Lavanya in Tamil Nadu had sought for taking stringent steps to control religious conversion and as an alternative prayed for directing the Law Commission of India to prepare a report as well as a bill to control “Deceit Religious Conversion”. 

    “There is not even one district which is free of religious conversion by hook and crook and the carrot and the stick,” the plea stated. It was also argued that the situation is alarming as many individuals and organisations are carrying out mass conversions of SC-STs in rural areas. 

    “The mass conversion of socially economically underprivileged people, particularly belonging to SC-ST, has been on a steep rise for the last 2 decades. These organisations operate very smoothly targeting socially economically underprivileged sections particularly belonging to the SC-ST community,” the plea also stated.

    (With inputs from PTI)

  • Four more held for alleged ‘forceful’ conversions in UP’s Meerut; 8 arrested so far

    By PTI

    MEERUT (UP): Four more people have been arrested for their alleged involvement in religious conversions here, taking the total number of arrests to eight, police said on Sunday.

    They have been booked under Section 3, 5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Unlawful Conversion Prohibition Act following a complaint by residents of Mangatapuram Colony here.

    Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rohit Singh Sajwan said the four fresh arrests were made on Saturday night.

    Those arrested are identified as Anil, Sardar, Nikku and Basant. Four others Binwa, Prema, Titli and Reena were arrested earlier. Another accused Chhabili alias Shiva is absconding, police said.

    During COVID-19, some people provided food and financial assistance to the poor in Mangatapuram Colony and then allegedly forced them to convert to Christianity, the police said.

    According to the complaint, the accused also removed pictures of Hindu deities from their houses.

    “On protesting or complaining, the accused come home with knives and sticks and threaten to kill,” the complaint stated.

    While there is no mention of the number of conversions, local BJP leader Deepak Sharma claimed that more than 100 people had allegedly been converted to Christianity.

    “This has been going on for the past three years. During the COVID-19 period, people were given ration and money to convert to Christianity. Now, other people are being threatened to convert as well,” Sharma alleged.

    MEERUT (UP): Four more people have been arrested for their alleged involvement in religious conversions here, taking the total number of arrests to eight, police said on Sunday.

    They have been booked under Section 3, 5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Unlawful Conversion Prohibition Act following a complaint by residents of Mangatapuram Colony here.

    Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rohit Singh Sajwan said the four fresh arrests were made on Saturday night.

    Those arrested are identified as Anil, Sardar, Nikku and Basant. Four others Binwa, Prema, Titli and Reena were arrested earlier. Another accused Chhabili alias Shiva is absconding, police said.

    During COVID-19, some people provided food and financial assistance to the poor in Mangatapuram Colony and then allegedly forced them to convert to Christianity, the police said.

    According to the complaint, the accused also removed pictures of Hindu deities from their houses.

    “On protesting or complaining, the accused come home with knives and sticks and threaten to kill,” the complaint stated.

    While there is no mention of the number of conversions, local BJP leader Deepak Sharma claimed that more than 100 people had allegedly been converted to Christianity.

    “This has been going on for the past three years. During the COVID-19 period, people were given ration and money to convert to Christianity. Now, other people are being threatened to convert as well,” Sharma alleged.

  • Shah claims some NGOs involved in religious conversion; opposition to projects to stall economic growth

    By PTI

    SURAJKUND: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday claimed that some NGOs have indulged in religious conversion, anti-national activities and misuse of funds to stall the country’s economic progress, and strong action has been taken against such entities.

    He also said that even though law and order is a state subject, crimes have become borderless due to the advancement of technology and success can be achieved against such trans-border crimes only when states and the Centre sit together and formulate a strategy to curb them.

    Addressing a two-day ‘Chintan Shivir’ of home ministers of all states organised by the Union home ministry here, he said that the government has amended the Foreign Contributions (Regulations) Act (FCRA) which was being misused by some NGOs to conduct anti-national activities, religious conversion, political opposition to development projects and creating obstacles in economic progress.

    “In 2020, the government took strong action to stop foreign funding of such NGOs by amending the FCRA,” he said.

    Shah also said that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) will set up at least one office in all states by 2024 to develop a strong anti-terror network.

    The home minister said it is the collective responsibility of states to effectively tackle crimes being committed from across the country’s border or states’ borders, and also deal with regional crimes to make society free from fear.

    “In our Constitution, law and order is a state subject. But we can be successful against trans-border or borderless crimes only when all states sit together to ponder over them, make a common strategy and (make) efforts to curb them,” he said.

    ALSO READ | In battle for Bihar, Amit Shah plans to visit Nitish’s home turf

    The nature of crime is changing in today’s world and crime is becoming borderless, that’s why the states have to formulate a common strategy to fight against it, he said.

    Shah reiterated that it is the collective responsibility of states and the Centre to effectively tackle trans-border crimes.

    The ‘Chintan Shivir’ is being organised with the objective to prepare an action plan for the implementation of ‘Vision 2047’ and ‘Panch Pran’ announced in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day speech.

    The ‘shivir’ can become a good platform to discuss strategies to counter cyber crimes, narcotics and cross-border terrorism, among others, and to exchange good practices in law and order, he said.

    Shah also said that a large number of proposals to amend the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) have been received, and these are being analysed.

    “In a very short time, we will come up with new drafts of the CrPC and the IPC before Parliament,” he said.

    The home minister said that importance should be given to three ‘Cs’ — cooperation, coordination and collaboration — to achieve the goals of cooperative federalism, “whole of government” and “team India” approach, resource optimisation and integration.

    The Modi government has recorded success on all fronts of internal security be it Jammu and Kashmir, the Northeast or narcotics smuggling, Shah claimed.

    “Our internal security is considered strong,” he said, noting that “35,000 police and CAPF (Central Armed Police Forces) personnel have laid down their lives so far since independence to keep the unity and integrity of the country intact”.

    Shah said that all areas considered hot spots from the security point of view have been cleared due to synergy and cooperation between states and the Centre.

    “The areas affected by left-wing extremism (LWE), Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast, which were once hot spots of violence and unrest, are now becoming hot spots of development,” he sfurther claimed.

    The home minister said there is a 74 per cent dip in terror attacks in the country and 90 per cent decrease in terror-related killings since 2014 which is a “big achievement”.

    “We have entered into long-term agreements with insurgent groups such as the NLFT, insurgent groups of of Assam’s Bodo areas, Karbi Anglong district.

    About 9,000 insurgents in the Northeast have surrendered so far and it ensures long-term peace in the Northeast,” he said.

    Shah said the country has made big strides in tackling LWE, recording a decrease of 77 per cent in naxal violence and 87 per cent in lives claimed by it after 2014.

    “Once a upon a time, the red corridor between Pashupati Nath to Tirupati was notorious. States and the Centre have successfully fought this fight and achieved success. In 2014, there were 113 districts which were affected by the LWE but now it has come down to 46 districts. It is a big success,” he said.

    He said a new era started in Jammu and Kashmir after the abolition of Article 370.

    “During the last 37 months after August 5, 2019, terror incidents have reduced by 34 per cent in Jammu and Kashmir as compared to numbers recorded in 37 months preceding the date.

    Sixty-four per cent less deaths have been reported and civilian deaths in terror incidents have gone down by 90 per cent during the period,” the home minister said.

    Jammu and Kashmir had received a total investment of Rs 19,000 crore till 2019 since Independence while in the last three years, an investment of Rs 57,000 crore has been made which shows that the Union Territory has moved ahead on the path of success, Shah said.

    “We have made important changes in the NIA and the UAPA (Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act) to give more powers to the anti-terror agency. The agency has been given extra-territorial jurisdiction,” he said.

    ALSO READ | AAP to make Delhi ‘AAP-Nirbhar’, BJP to make city ‘atmanirbhar’: Union Home Minister Amit Shah

    “The agency has also got powers to seize properties of a terrorist. We have decided that every state will have a NIA unit to develop a strong anti-terror network,” Shah said.

    The home minister said cyber-crime is a big challenge before the country and the world today and the home ministry is committed to fight against it.

    The government led by Narendra Modi is determined to save the country and the youth from the menace of narcotics and its policy is showing results, with drugs worth more than Rs 20,000 crore being seized so far, Shah said.

    Prime Minister Modi will address the ‘Chintan Shivir’ through video conferencing on October 28.

    Development of an ecosystem for cybercrime management, modernisation of police forces, increase in usage of information technology in the criminal justice system, land border management and coastal security and other internal security issues will be discussed at the event.

    SURAJKUND: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday claimed that some NGOs have indulged in religious conversion, anti-national activities and misuse of funds to stall the country’s economic progress, and strong action has been taken against such entities.

    He also said that even though law and order is a state subject, crimes have become borderless due to the advancement of technology and success can be achieved against such trans-border crimes only when states and the Centre sit together and formulate a strategy to curb them.

    Addressing a two-day ‘Chintan Shivir’ of home ministers of all states organised by the Union home ministry here, he said that the government has amended the Foreign Contributions (Regulations) Act (FCRA) which was being misused by some NGOs to conduct anti-national activities, religious conversion, political opposition to development projects and creating obstacles in economic progress.

    “In 2020, the government took strong action to stop foreign funding of such NGOs by amending the FCRA,” he said.

    Shah also said that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) will set up at least one office in all states by 2024 to develop a strong anti-terror network.

    The home minister said it is the collective responsibility of states to effectively tackle crimes being committed from across the country’s border or states’ borders, and also deal with regional crimes to make society free from fear.

    “In our Constitution, law and order is a state subject. But we can be successful against trans-border or borderless crimes only when all states sit together to ponder over them, make a common strategy and (make) efforts to curb them,” he said.

    ALSO READ | In battle for Bihar, Amit Shah plans to visit Nitish’s home turf

    The nature of crime is changing in today’s world and crime is becoming borderless, that’s why the states have to formulate a common strategy to fight against it, he said.

    Shah reiterated that it is the collective responsibility of states and the Centre to effectively tackle trans-border crimes.

    The ‘Chintan Shivir’ is being organised with the objective to prepare an action plan for the implementation of ‘Vision 2047’ and ‘Panch Pran’ announced in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day speech.

    The ‘shivir’ can become a good platform to discuss strategies to counter cyber crimes, narcotics and cross-border terrorism, among others, and to exchange good practices in law and order, he said.

    Shah also said that a large number of proposals to amend the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) have been received, and these are being analysed.

    “In a very short time, we will come up with new drafts of the CrPC and the IPC before Parliament,” he said.

    The home minister said that importance should be given to three ‘Cs’ — cooperation, coordination and collaboration — to achieve the goals of cooperative federalism, “whole of government” and “team India” approach, resource optimisation and integration.

    The Modi government has recorded success on all fronts of internal security be it Jammu and Kashmir, the Northeast or narcotics smuggling, Shah claimed.

    “Our internal security is considered strong,” he said, noting that “35,000 police and CAPF (Central Armed Police Forces) personnel have laid down their lives so far since independence to keep the unity and integrity of the country intact”.

    Shah said that all areas considered hot spots from the security point of view have been cleared due to synergy and cooperation between states and the Centre.

    “The areas affected by left-wing extremism (LWE), Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast, which were once hot spots of violence and unrest, are now becoming hot spots of development,” he sfurther claimed.

    The home minister said there is a 74 per cent dip in terror attacks in the country and 90 per cent decrease in terror-related killings since 2014 which is a “big achievement”.

    “We have entered into long-term agreements with insurgent groups such as the NLFT, insurgent groups of of Assam’s Bodo areas, Karbi Anglong district.

    About 9,000 insurgents in the Northeast have surrendered so far and it ensures long-term peace in the Northeast,” he said.

    Shah said the country has made big strides in tackling LWE, recording a decrease of 77 per cent in naxal violence and 87 per cent in lives claimed by it after 2014.

    “Once a upon a time, the red corridor between Pashupati Nath to Tirupati was notorious. States and the Centre have successfully fought this fight and achieved success. In 2014, there were 113 districts which were affected by the LWE but now it has come down to 46 districts. It is a big success,” he said.

    He said a new era started in Jammu and Kashmir after the abolition of Article 370.

    “During the last 37 months after August 5, 2019, terror incidents have reduced by 34 per cent in Jammu and Kashmir as compared to numbers recorded in 37 months preceding the date.

    Sixty-four per cent less deaths have been reported and civilian deaths in terror incidents have gone down by 90 per cent during the period,” the home minister said.

    Jammu and Kashmir had received a total investment of Rs 19,000 crore till 2019 since Independence while in the last three years, an investment of Rs 57,000 crore has been made which shows that the Union Territory has moved ahead on the path of success, Shah said.

    “We have made important changes in the NIA and the UAPA (Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act) to give more powers to the anti-terror agency. The agency has been given extra-territorial jurisdiction,” he said.

    ALSO READ | AAP to make Delhi ‘AAP-Nirbhar’, BJP to make city ‘atmanirbhar’: Union Home Minister Amit Shah

    “The agency has also got powers to seize properties of a terrorist. We have decided that every state will have a NIA unit to develop a strong anti-terror network,” Shah said.

    The home minister said cyber-crime is a big challenge before the country and the world today and the home ministry is committed to fight against it.

    The government led by Narendra Modi is determined to save the country and the youth from the menace of narcotics and its policy is showing results, with drugs worth more than Rs 20,000 crore being seized so far, Shah said.

    Prime Minister Modi will address the ‘Chintan Shivir’ through video conferencing on October 28.

    Development of an ecosystem for cybercrime management, modernisation of police forces, increase in usage of information technology in the criminal justice system, land border management and coastal security and other internal security issues will be discussed at the event.

  • MP: Bajrang Dal, VHP Activists stop vehicle carrying tribal children, allege religious conversion

    By PTI

    KHANDWA: Right-wing activists created ruckus by intercepting a vehicle transporting a group of children to a programme at a school in Madhya Pradesh’s Khandwa on Monday, accusing the organisers of religious conversion, police said.

    The incident occurred when a vehicle was transporting a group of tribal boys and girls to a programme being organised at Saint Pius School in Khandwa, an official said.

    Activists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal stopped the vehicle near the school, alleging that the children were being taken for religious conversion.

    According to eye-witnesses, the right-wing activists stopped the vehicle for a long time till the police and district officials reached the spot.

    The VHP’s district secretary Animesh Joshi claimed that they had stopped the vehicle after receiving information that a group of tribal boys and girls were being brought for religious conversion.

    Action should be taken against the organisers, as they were conducting the programme without permission, he said.

    Sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Arvind Chouhan, who also reached the spot following the incident, said the police were investigating the matter, as the programme was organised without any prior permission.

    The police have recorded the statements of the children, organisers and school teachers and further legal steps will be taken after a probe, he said.

    Meanwhile, Father Jose, the organiser of the programme, claimed that only catholic boys and girls were invited for the programme, and efforts to seek permission for the event from the district administration were not successful.

    KHANDWA: Right-wing activists created ruckus by intercepting a vehicle transporting a group of children to a programme at a school in Madhya Pradesh’s Khandwa on Monday, accusing the organisers of religious conversion, police said.

    The incident occurred when a vehicle was transporting a group of tribal boys and girls to a programme being organised at Saint Pius School in Khandwa, an official said.

    Activists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal stopped the vehicle near the school, alleging that the children were being taken for religious conversion.

    According to eye-witnesses, the right-wing activists stopped the vehicle for a long time till the police and district officials reached the spot.

    The VHP’s district secretary Animesh Joshi claimed that they had stopped the vehicle after receiving information that a group of tribal boys and girls were being brought for religious conversion.

    Action should be taken against the organisers, as they were conducting the programme without permission, he said.

    Sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Arvind Chouhan, who also reached the spot following the incident, said the police were investigating the matter, as the programme was organised without any prior permission.

    The police have recorded the statements of the children, organisers and school teachers and further legal steps will be taken after a probe, he said.

    Meanwhile, Father Jose, the organiser of the programme, claimed that only catholic boys and girls were invited for the programme, and efforts to seek permission for the event from the district administration were not successful.

  • VHP claims Christian missionaries tried to convert people in Mathura village; cops find ‘nothing’

    By PTI

    MATHURA: The Vishva Hindu Parishad Sunday claimed some Christian missionaries from Firozabad were trying to convert women and children at a village in Mathura, but police said they found “nothing like religious conversion” there.

    VHP district president Vinod Raghav said they were informed by the residents of Habbipur village, which is under Mahavan police station, that some people from the Christian missionaries were trying to “mislead” Hindu families “and hatching a conspiracy to convert them”.

    “Following this, I sent a few workers of the VHP and Bajrang Dal to visit the village and find the truth,” he said.

    He claimed the Christian missionaries were holding some “programme” in the house of one Bunny Singh who said they were doing ‘pooja-paath’ (rituals), and that all present at the house were his relatives.

    On villagers’ allegations that such programmes were being organised in that house every Sunday for some time now and people were told positive things about Christianity, Bunny Singh said even Hindus visit the dargahs and mazars to offer chadars, “but no one objects to such practices”.

    “Even so, if anyone has any objection, we will not hold the prayer programme,” Singh said.

    Senior Superintendent of Police Abhishek Yadav said, “The village pradhan of Habbipur MP Yadav informed us about alleged religious conversion. But, when the police reached there, nothing like religious conversion was found.”

    “However, seeing the sensitivity of the issue, we will inquire about things from the people, and definitely act if something is found to be wrong.”

  • Jharkhand: Tribal children converted to Christianity; NCPCR seeks action taken report within 3 days

    Express News Service

    RANCHI: Taking suo-moto cognizance of the news reports brought to its notice regarding the religious conversion of 12 tribal children taking place in Jharkhand’s Khunti, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has asked the SP to take action following an inquiry conducted into the matter.

    NCPCR Chairman Priyank Kanoongo, writing a letter to SP Khunti, has asked the police to submit an action taken report within three days of the receipt of the letter. A copy of the letter dated June 6, 2022, has also been sent to Khunti Deputy Commissioner.

    “The Commission has taken suo-moto cognizance of the news report wherein it has been brought to the notice of the Commission that 12 children of Khunti district in Jharkhand have been illegally converted to Christianity by ‘Torpa Arsee Church’ running in the State of Jharkhand,” stated the letter written by NCPCR Chairman.

    Through the said news report, it was also discovered that such illegal conversions are taking place in the village for some time now and to date, no action has been taken by the local government. NCPCR believes that it is a violation of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 and of the Religious Conversion Act passed by the Jharkhand Assembly in 2017.

    “In the view of the allegations stated in the complaint, it is observed that there is prima facie contravention of various provisions under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, violation of Article 25 of the Constitution of India and violation of provisions under Jharkhand Freedom of Religion Act 2017,” the letter further reads.

    Meanwhile, coming into action, the district administration has ordered an inquiry into the matter. “I have asked the Sub-divisional Officer (SDO) to initiate an inquiry and submit a report within 48 hours,” said Khunti Deputy Commissioner Shashi Ranjan. Some of the children are minors and consent of their parents was not taken before the religious conversion, he added. The Deputy Commissioner further added that action will be taken against those responsible for it, as soon as the report comes to him.

    Notably, out of the 12 people who converted to Christianity, 10 are minors while the two others are women of age 21 and 25 years respectively. According to villagers, they were taken to the Church in the name of educating them and converted to Christianity.

    Villagers also claimed that a day ahead of the conversion which took place on May 22, 2022, Gram Pradhan of Kamda village under Tapkara Police Station, had handed over a memorandum to Khunti Sub-divisional Officer requesting him to stop it, but no action was taken in this regard.

    ‘Sarna Dharma Soto Samiti’ held a meeting in the village and expressed their anguish against the ongoing illegal conversions in the State despite the fact that anti-conversion law has been implanted in the State.

    “Given the fact that there is anti-conversion law in Jharkhand, religious conversions are taking place illegally. Those who have converted themselves to another religion must be barred from taking benefits of reservation in the State,” said a member of Sarna Dharma Soto Samiti, Reda Munda. 

  • MP: Nine arrested for religious ‘conversion attempt’ in Jhabua

    By PTI

    JHABUA/BHOPAL: Police have arrested nine persons, seven of them from Rajasthan and Gujarat, in Madhya Pradesh’s Jhabua district on charge of indulging in religious conversion, an official said on Friday.

    The police registered a case against 10 persons following a complaint filed by a man linked to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).

    “We received information on Wednesday that some outsiders were allegedly luring tribals to convert to Christianity at Manpur village under the Thandla police station area,” the official said.

    After that, a police team and some residents of the area reached the village and found that seven persons from Rajasthan and Gujarat and their local contacts were attempting religious conversion by offering inducements at the residence of one Naru Damor, Thandla sub-divisional officer of police (SDOP) M S Gavli said.

    Later, the police booked a total of 10 persons under relevant sections of Madhya Pradesh’s anti-religious conversion law and arrested nine of then, he added.

    They were produced in a local court, which sent them to jail on Thursday, the SDOP said.

    Talking to reporters in Indore on Wednesday, VHP general secretary Milind Parande alleged that Christian missionaries were involved in illegal conversions in tribal-dominated Jhabua district.

    “We demand action against everyone involved in illegal conversions,” the VHP leader had said.

  • SIT to probe ‘religious conversion’ complaint against senior IAS officer in UP

    By PTI

    KANPUR: The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday ordered an inquiry by a special investigation team after a senior IAS officer was seen in some video clips at a gathering at his home where religious conversion was being allegedly discussed.

    In one of the purported videos, Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) chairman Mohammed Iftikharuddin is seen sitting with a group of men, apparently clerics, and is heard saying that it is their duty to spread Islam to every home.

    In a related video, the 1985-batch IAS officer is seen sitting at a gathering where another man is talking allegedly in a provocative manner about the merits of converting to Islam.

    The videos were said to be taken at the camp office-cum-official residence of the official when he was the Kanpur divisional commissioner in between 2014 to 2017.

    Iftikharuddin, who is currently posted in state capital Lucknow, when confronted by a TV channel scribe first denied being present at the gathering but later admitted that he was present there.

    “What did I say wrong? I have been misinterpreted,” he told the reporter in Hindi.

    Taking a serious note of the matter, the government has ordered a probe by the SIT, an official said.

    The team will be headed by DG CB-CID G L Meena and ADG Bhanu Bhaskar will be its member.

    It will send its report to the government in seven days, the official said.

    National Vice President of ‘Math Mandir Samanvai Samiti’ Bhupesh Awasthi has made a written complaint with the state government against the IAS officer and submitted copies of the videos.

    Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, who was on a visit to the district and neighbouring Unnao on Monday, said the inquiry was instituted into the matter when his attention was drawn to the videos.

    Meanwhile, Kanpur police Commissioner Asim Arun told PTI that the investigation to verify the authenticity of the videos has been handed to ADCP East, Somedra Meena.

    “It is being investigated whether the video is authentic,” he said.

    A few months back, UP enacted a law to curb conversion through force or deceit.

    In recent days, the state police have made several arrests, including in Delhi, in connection with an alleged conversion racket.

    The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) had on Sunday arrested three men in connection with alleged religious conversions.

    The ATS had said while two were residents of Muzaffarnagar in UP, the third one hailed from Nashik in Maharashtra.

    Regarding the controversial videos being shared on social media platforms, Minister of Law and Justice Brajesh Pathak said the government has taken cognizance of the videos and given instructions for investigation.

    The place where the IAS officer is sitting and preaching seems to be a government property which is not at all appropriate legally or constitutionally, Pathak said.

    The state government is particularly strict on the matter of religious conversion, Pathak said, adding: “We have even made a strict law regarding that. We will take strict action against anyone who tries to convert people using force or any kind of lure”.

    Bithoor BJP MLA Abhijeet Singh Sanga termed the incident as a matter of serious concern and went on to call the IAS officer a “literate Aurangzeb”.

    “I would ask Kanpur divisional commissioner Raj Shekhar to purify the commissioner camp office compound with ‘gangajal’ obtained from Bithoor,” Sanga told PTI.

  • UP ATS arrests three in connection with ‘illegal’ religious conversions

    By PTI

    LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) arrested three men on Sunday in connection with alleged illegal religious conversions.

    In a statement issued here, the ATS said, “Residents of Muzaffarnagar — Mohammad Idris and Mohammad Saleem — and Kunal Ashok Chaudhary alias Aatif, a resident of Nashik (in Maharashtra), have been arrested for running a countrywide racket of illegal religious conversions and taking funds from foreign countries to undertake religious conversions.”

    The ATS arrested Maulana Umar Gautam on June 20 for allegedly running a racket of illegal religious conversions.

    Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui was also arrested in this connection from Meerut on September 21.

    The ATS said arrested accused Saleem assisted Siddiqui in carrying out religious conversions for 17 years.

    Similarly, Idris and Chaudhary also used to help Siddiqui in religious conversions.