'Akin to terrorism', says Ravi Kishan on conversion; MoS Reddy points out foreign funding

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy on Tuesday said that international organisations are involved in the nexus of the forced religious conversions which are happening in the country. This statement by the Union Minister comes in the context of the incidents of forced religious conversions and mass conversions that surfaced recently putting the issue at the core of the political discussions.

When asked about controversial fugitive Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, Reddy said that Naik is a different issue as he put the onus on foreign organisations behind the mass conversions. While speaking exclusively with Republic Media Network, he said faith should not be forcibly imposed.

"Zakir Naik is a different issue but many foreign organisations are involved in mass conversions which have been reported several times. The government has also taken action on multiple occasions," he said. 

"This shouldn't be happening (conversions). Your religion is not good, ours is better; your god isn't real but ours is, this mindset is wrong. Every individual should be free to follow his/her faith and it shouldn't be forcibly imposed," he added.

BJP MP Ravi Kishan has called religious conversion "another form of terrorism". While speaking with Republic, he said, "This is another form of terrorism. Due to PM Narendra Modi led government, terrorism has been finished by 99 per cent. A syndicate has been working for religious conversions in several States, it is a big conspiracy and foreign funding is involved."

"It is a well-planned conspiracy and a heinous crime. I am pained by this and will raise this issue in the Uttar Pradesh assembly. This crime should be treated no less than terrorism and the person involved in conversion should be punished accordingly," he added.

Menace of forced and mass religious conversions

Last week, a mass conversion racket was unearthed by Uttar Pradesh ATS arresting two who were identified as Mufti Qazi Jahangir Alam Qasmi and Mohammad Umar Gautam. When confronted, the accused confessed that he has converted at least 1000 people to his religion.

According to reports, the two accused ran an outfit that was involved in converting deaf and dumb students and other poor people to Islam in Uttar Pradesh with funding from Pakistan’s ISI. Moreover, children and women were also lured in with false promises of cash, job, and marriage, and later, converted. Investigators have also speculated that the syndicate is allegedly linked to fugitive preacher Zakir Naik. Now, the NIA is said to have taken over the probe.

Furthermore, another shocking incident of conversion came to the fore, this time in Jammu and Kashmir, in which two Sikh girls were abducted and forcibly converted to Islam. According to reports, an 18-year-old Sikh Girl from Badgam district was abducted and forcefully converted to Islam at gunpoint. The second case of another girl from Srinagar who after attending a function of her Muslim friend has been missing. As per reports, she was married off to a 62-year old man.

The Sikh delegation also met G Kishan Reddy and submitted a memorandum of their demands including an anti-conversion law. The Sikh leaders have demanded a strong law to be implemented in the wake of the events of abduction and religious conversions. They have also urged for equal rights for the minority Sikhs residing in Jammu and Kashmir.