10.35 am: Opposition playing politics over religion, says BJP
Maintaining that their government opposed forced conversions, the BJP this morning said the Opposition was playing politics over religion.
"BJP condemns and opposes all forced conversions.. the Opposition is behind this," MoS Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told reporters outside Parliament.
10:00 am: Opposition united to take on BJP over forced conversions in Uttar Pradesh
Opposition parties are uniting to take on the government over the forced conversion in Uttar Pradesh. The Congress, Samajwadi Party and JD(U) have reportedly given notices for a discussion on the 're-conversion' of 57 families in Uttar Pradesh by right wing groups like the Bajrang Dal.
This comes a day after the Opposition attacked the BJP over the forced conversions. BSP chief Mayawati and Congress leader Anand Sharma were at the forefront of the attack on the central government, which defended itself saying the law would be allowed to take its own course.
BSP leader and former UP Chief Minister Mayawati on Wednesday was at the forefront of a strident opposition protest in Parliament over the conversion of around 57 Muslim families in an Agra slum by the Bajrang Dal and the Dharma Jagran Samanvay Vibhag, an offshoot of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
Alleging that the people were bribed and forced to convert to Hinduism, Mayawatisaid that the government needed to respond to these serious allegations, adding, "It is the responsibility of the party that comes to power to ensure people are allowed to follow their faiths without facing any discrimination. It is the responsibility of the government to ensure that forcible conversions do not take place."
Congress MP Anand Sharma claimed the incident was part of a "diabolical agenda".
"This house must be assured the constitution of India will not be violated," Sharma, who is the leader of the opposition Congress party told parliament.
Responding to the opposition in Parliament, Minister of State for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told the Rajya Sabha that as far as he was aware a FIR had been filed in the case of forced conversions.
"To my knowledge FIR has been registered over the issue," Naqvi told the Rajya Sabha.
The minister also told the opposition that it was wrong to drag in any organisation into the issue for political reasons.
"We are as committed to the cause of secularism as anyone else," he said.
The incident, in which a 'ghar vapsi' or reconversion ceremony was carried out in the Madhunagar slum in Agra, has caused widespread condemnation, after the Muslims involved said that they were led to believe that they had no idea that the plan was to 'reconvert' them to Hinduism.
The families alleged that Bajrang Dal activists merely told the families that they would be getting BPL cards, which would make them eligible for a host of sops, including subsidised schooling and medical arrangements but later realised it was a 'reconversion' ceremony.
Muslim groups have since demanded protection while the families involved have also faced condemnation from Muslim community leaders.
(F.politics)
