Under pressure from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to rein in Hindutva groups, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh might have forced Dharam Jagaran Samiti to call off its plan to convert thousands of Muslims and Christians this Christmas, but the “routine” work of religious conversion or ‘ghar vapsi’ will continue, say sources in the fringe Hindutva outfit.
Talking to The Hindu , senior office-bearers of the DJS, the Agra-based Hindutva outfit, insist that the programme was postponed, not cancelled.
The decision to postpone the function was taken in the “strategic interests of the cause” said a DJS pracharak on condition of anonymity, as there was intense pressure on them not to speak to media, which was portraying the Hindutva outfit “negatively.”
The strategy was to avoid intense media pressure and the “venomous propaganda against us.” “Now that the media pressure is off, we can continue with the conversion work slowly and steadily, but cautiously as the Samajwadi Party government was trying hard to find something against us,” added the DJS volunteer.
As per the schedule, DJS volunteers will continue to comb the target districts and villages where Christians and Muslims want to come back into the fold of Hinduism.
Heightened vigilSensing that the Hindutva outfit may try to outsmart the administration and its prohibitory orders, the State administration in western UP was on vigil.
The Aligarh administration on Wednesday said that all precautionary measures would remain in place till further orders.
District Magistrate Abhishek Prakash told the media: “The DJS didn’t approach us for permission to organise the conversion programme nor did they inform us or give anything in writing about cancelling the event. Therefore, we are maintaining our vigil.”
The DJS volunteers repeatedly emphasise that theirs is not ‘conversion’ but a ‘ghar vapsi’ programme and it happens completely voluntarily without any coercion or outside inducements, which makes it perfectly legal.
