Opposition corners Govt. in LS over conversions row, demands explanation

The Lok Sabha witnessed uproar by the opposition parties on Thursday demanding an explanation from the BJP-led government at the Centre over the conversions organized in Agra reportedly by groups linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Voicing concern over the issue, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati said it was the responsibility of the ruling Samajwadi Party in the state to act against the BJP and its groups who spread communalism.

"It's the responsibility of the Samajwadi Party Government to act strongly against the BJP and its groups who spread communalism through these forced conversions," she said.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury on his part said the conversions were against the secular structure of the nation.

"This is against the secular structure of nation, this won't be tolerated," said Yechury.

Expressing similar views, Congress leader Digvijay Singh said the Sangh and the BJP have always had a political agenda of dividing people of the nation in the name of religion.

"It's the constitutional right of every citizen to choose their religion, but luring people to change their religion is a crime," he added.

BJP MP Yogi Adityanath, however, defended the conversions, saying they must only be seen as 'ghar-vapasi' or home-coming.

"If somebody wants to rectify their mistakes and is willing to 'return home', then there should be no objections to that. You can call this change or 'home coming', it should not be seen in any other way," said Adityanath.

Around 200 people were reportedly converted to Hinduism in a ceremony in Agra by groups linked to the BJP's ideological mentor RSS.

Bajrang Dal and Dharam Jagran Manch, the groups that performed the mass conversions, reportedly claimed that the families were originally Hindus and converted to Islam around 30 years ago.