The two hundred Muslims who re-converted to Hinduism in Agra have claimed that they participated in the conversion ceremony for ration cards promised by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Bajrang Dal's Ajju Chauhan said the converted Muslims will now be taught Hindu rituals and they would be "Sanskritised." All of them will then be given voter ID cards and ration cards with the new name. Bajrang Dal and Dharam Jagran Samanvay Vibhagh, offshoots of RSS, were at the forefront of the conversions.
While the RSS outfit claimed that the Muslims were "brought back to Hinduism" as their ancestors had converted to Islam about 30 years ago, some of the converts claimed that they were forced to undergo the conversion ceremony.
"If 40 people in saffron scarves come and stand on your head, you will do just as they want," The Times of India quoted a slum dweller Farhan as saying.
While some, who converted to Hinduism, have accepted the Hindu rituals, others are back to their own rituals and offer namaz.
"We were taken to a place where a fire ceremony was on. 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," Deccan Herald quoted Munira as saying to ABP news channel.
However, Bajrang Dal's Chauhan claimed that the Muslims were not converted because they were offered ration cards but because they had Hindu ancestors.
"All these people have Hindu ancestors. They just did 'ghar vapsi.' They were not lured by ration cards or houses. They wanted to lead clean lives," Chauhan said.
His claims have, however, been contradicted by Ismail, who led the Muslims in the conversion ceremony. Ismail supported the other converts' claims that they were forced into conversion for ration cards.
"We're poor people and anyone can do anything with us. We can't afford to lose our lives over religion and conversion... They first threatened to get us to vacate our homes. The land is owned by a Hindu. Later, they said that if we converted, we would get houses and better schooling for children," he said.
On Monday, members of at least 57 Muslim families were "brought back to Hinduism" in Agra's Madhunagar area.
