The agencies investigating force conversion racket in Uttar Pradesh have found some startling revelations, with the racket spread not only Uttar Pradesh but to 24 states including Maharashtra.
The agencies are looking into the funding aspect of the racket and the involvement of infamous religious preacher Zakir Naik. Zakir is currently on the run and hiding in foreign. The anti-terror squad (ATS) of UP, probing the matter has released a helpline number asking people to give any information about the conversion racket and those involved in it.
The agency said that until date it has found evidences of force conversion being carried out in 24 states and union territories. The ATS has appealed people to provide information about Maulana Umar Gautam and Qazi Jehangir Alam. The helpline number released by UP ATS is- 9792103156. Besides an email ID has also been circulated for receiving any information about Umar and Jehangir. Both these accused were arrested on the charges of forced conversion by UP ATS from Jamia Nagar in Delhi. The ATS said that Batla House in Delhi was the center of these activities.
An official informed that the institution Islamic Dawah Centre (IDC), to which the accused belonged to, was getting foreign funds and the agency is investigating this aspect. The agency said Naik could have provided funds for the conversion activities to the accused. The UP ATS has so far got a list of those who were converted to Islam in the recent past and this include people from Mumbai, Maharashtra besides UP and Delhi. The court has remanded Maulana Umar and Qazi Jehangir to the UP ATS.
It may be mentioned that ATS of Uttar Pradesh on Monday had nabbed two persons including a cleric on the charges of illegal religious conversion. Agency alleged that those involved in the force conversion racket were funded by ISI and few other terrorist organizations. Those arrested were accused of luring more than 1000 non-Muslim people and converted them to Islam. Most of those converted were deaf and dumb or suffering from other physical disabilities.
Meanwhile the Akhil Bhartiya Akhada Parishad, the apex body of seers, has decided to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this matter. The Parishad has demanded stern action in the forced conversion case and asked the Muslim clerics to stop such practices. Noted Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawad has said that Islam does not permit force conversion and this matter should be probed properly in an impartial manner.
