The Vishwa Hindu Parishad on Sunday demanded a central law against forced religious conversion. Addressing a press conference in Meerut, Surendra Jain, the international joint general secretary of the Parishad, thanked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for bringing a strong law against forced conversion in the State. “But the recent events in Loni area of Ghaziabad proved that it is a pan Indian racket and hence requires a central law.”
Adding that they would raise the demand with the Union Home Minister, Mr. Jain claimed those involved in conversion activities also indulge in spreading terrorism and thus required a strong central law.
He alleged that the so called secular parties provide support to such activities. “When a private member bill against forced conversion was brought in Chhattisgarh assembly, it was nixed by members of the Congress,” he alleged.
Calling for a “saffron revolution” in the region, Mr Jain also said the VHP and Bajrang Dal had identified 70 sensitive spots in western Uttar Pradesh from where Hindus were seeking mass exodus out of fear. “We will nurture self-confidence in Hindus who are living in areas where they are in a minority,” he said, referring to a recent incident in Moradabad where around 80 Hindu families had allegedly put posters declaring that their houses were on sale because they were facing harassment at the hands of Muslim neighbours. The local police, however, had debunked the theory.
In “Palayan nahin Parakram” (Courage not exodus), he said, the VHP had given a new motivational chant to Hindus in west UP. “It has been decided that every village will have a Bajrang Dal akhara and a Durga Vahini centre. And we believe, the region will shed the tag of ‘mini-Pakistan’.”
He appealed to Muslims to come out of the “pre-1947 mindset” and believe in “peaceful coexistence”.
