Close X
Wednesday, December 4, 2024
ADVT 
India

Poor Muslims In Agra Who Converted Will Be Given Ration Cards: Bajrang Dal

IANS, 09 Dec, 2014 12:40 PM
    A Bajrang Dal leader said Tuesday that all the 300 poor Muslims who he said had embraced Hinduism here will be given ration cards they badly lacked.
     
    Amid claims by one of the 300 that they were forced to give up Islam, Bajrang Dal's Ajju Chauhan said everyone in the group would be now taught Hindu rituals.
     
    The Bajrang Dal organised the conversion ceremony Monday.
     
    Chauhan, the group's co-convener, said Tuesday that all those who converted to Hinduism would be "Sanskritised". They would be registered as voters and would get ration cards. 
     
    He said the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), to which the Bajrang Dal is allied, had been working "hard for three months to persuade them to convert to Hinduism". 
     
    The 300 members of some 60 Muslim families who reportedly embraced Hinduism Monday evening live in a slum on the outskirts of the Taj city -- and are miserably poor.
     
    Most of them had lived near Madhu Nagar on Gwalior Road for 17 long years after migrating either from West Bengal or Bangladesh. 
     
    Agra's Muslim leaders mostly declined to comment on the episode.
     
    But one Muslim scholar who did not want to be quoted by name alleged that those who converted were not Muslims.
     
    "It is true that they are all from outside Agra, perhaps from Bangladesh, and had been living here illegally as they have no voter, Adhaar or ration cards," he said.
     
    Munira, one of the 300, alleged they were lured to the event on the promise of giving them a plot of land and ration cards.
     
    "We were taken to a place where a fire ceremony was on," Munira told ABP news channel. "We were made to sit there. We became panicky. We were told to pray to Hindu gods. We did whatever they told us...
     
    "But now we are again reading the Holy Quran and our family members offered namaz today," he added.
     
    Agra's Senior Superintendent of Police Shalabh Mathur said no complaint had been registered regarding the event. "We will take action if there is a complaint."
     
    A Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader, Premendra Jain, wondered if Bangladeshis could be allowed to live in India if they give up Islam.
     
    "We have been demanding the expulsion of all Bangladeshis living illegally in India," Jain told IANS. 
     
    "Now these people have been converted to Hinduism. Does it mean all those staying in India illegally will be allowed to stay here if they convert?"

    MORE India ARTICLES

    Reforming India's higher defence management: Will Modi bite the bullet?

    Reforming India's higher defence management: Will Modi bite the bullet?
    Former Indian Navy chief, Admiral D.K. Joshi, who had resigned in February this year after a number of accidents on naval platforms, has dwelt on the background...

    Reforming India's higher defence management: Will Modi bite the bullet?

    Al-Qaeda, IS may join IM, LeT to attack India

    Al-Qaeda, IS may join IM, LeT to attack India
    National Security Guard (NSG) chief J.N. Chaudhary Thursday said al-Qaeda's threat to attack India was a matter of concern as the terror group can target Indian...

    Al-Qaeda, IS may join IM, LeT to attack India

    Rahul visit 'unites' Punjab Congress leaders

    Rahul visit 'unites' Punjab Congress leaders
    Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi's visit to Chandigarh Thursday briefly "united" warring leaders of the party's Punjab unit who were clearly told that...

    Rahul visit 'unites' Punjab Congress leaders

    Modi shows deep involvement with labour initiatives

    Modi shows deep involvement with labour initiatives
    Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday sought to expand the political capital of his government by reaching out to vast sections of people, including the...

    Modi shows deep involvement with labour initiatives

    India moves closer towards its own navigation satellite system

    India moves closer towards its own navigation satellite system
    India Thursday moved closer towards having its own satellite navigation system as it successfully launched a satellite with its rocket in a copy book style....

    India moves closer towards its own navigation satellite system

    India prepares to launch its third navigation satellite

    India prepares to launch its third navigation satellite
    The 67-hour countdown for the Thursday launch of India's third navigation satellite is progressing smoothly though a thunder storm Wednesday delayed...

    India prepares to launch its third navigation satellite