JOIN US“Conversion threats” by communities, especially from the lower castes, in Uttar Pradesh are turning out to be a “new ploy” to get their demands met by the authorities.
At least two incidents had been reported from different places in the state, where some communities threatened “mass conversion” to try to “force” authorities to meet their various demands which, in one case, was their inclusion in the list of scheduled castes (SC) so that they could get job reservation.
It began with the demand from the “dhangarhs” (a community of herders) in Agra to issue them certificates declaring them as members of the SC in order to enable them to avail job reservation.
The community members threatened that they would undergo “mass conversion” and become Christians if their demand was not met. The community leaders have given the government a month’s time to meet their demand.
Similarly, a few days back, a group of people from “Valmiki” community also threatened to convert “en masse” to Islam after they were allegedly not allowed to undertake a “shobhayatra” (procession) and pay obeisance at a “Valmiki temple” at Baghpat.
About 50 “Valmikis” who live near the temple at Jamalpur Goma village in Baghpat district, about 600 km from here, alleged that they had not been allowed to worship at the temple and undertake the annual procession by the priest.
The priest Mahant Lakshyadevananda, however, claimed that he never prevented the “Valmikis” from praying at the temple.
“It is basically a ploy to grab the land property that belonged to the temple. They (Valmikis) are threatening to convert to pressurise the authorities,” he claimed.
Saffron groups have held meetings with the “Valmikis” in a bid to persuade them not to “convert”. The “Valmikis” have set a deadline of January 26 for the administration to meet their demand.
DH News Service