Non-Hindus Must Convert To Hinduism, Says Hindu Nationalist Movement’s Chief Mohan Bhagwat
The Hindu nationalist agenda to erase Islam and Christianity from India is nakedly out in the open. Mohan Bhagwat, the chief of the 96-year-old Hindu supremacist movement that now runs India’s federal government, has openly called to convert all non-Hindus to Hinduism. This literally means he is calling for an end to Islam and Christianity in India, two religions that have existed on the Indian subcontinent for centuries.
Speaking on December 15 at a religious gathering of the Hindus in Uttar Pradesh, he said: “Take a pledge that I will persuade those who have converted, to embrace Hinduism and also make sure that the Hindus don’t convert.” Referring to the bogey of Love Jihad, the fake conspiracy theory that Muslim men are deliberately marrying Hindu women to convert them to Islam, he added: “I also take a pledge to protect the dignity of our Hindu sisters.”
Even though India’s Constitution guarantees freedom of faith, a host of so-called anti-conversion laws have criminalized conversions out of Hinduism by using the pretext that they are “forced” conversions. Every day, Christians and Muslims are attacked by Hindu vigilantes and are promptly sent to prison by the courts merely for holding prayer sessions or organizing a religious get-together.
On the other hand, conversion to Hinduism is not only encouraged but actively supported by the police and officials, in the name of “ghar wapasi,” which means “homecoming.”
Over Half Of Those Arrested Under Anti-Terror Law Are Under 30 Years Old: Government
Of the nearly 5,000 people arrested under India’s draconian anti-terror law in just the last three years across the country are less than 30 years’ old. This fact has now been admitted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Government, which itself is responsible for hundreds of those arrests.
This data underscores the fact that the Modi government, as well as many state governments, have weaponized this anti-terror law, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), to target human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers, activists and members of religious minorities such as Muslims and Christians, who have in recent years risen in criticism of and opposition to the dictatorial regimes at the federal level and at various state levels.
The Ministry of Home Affairs told the Indian parliament on December 13 that the highest number of people arrested under the UAPA were from the states of Uttar Pradesh, Manipur and Jammu and Kashmir. Uttar Pradesh is ruled by Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is an avowedly anti-Muslim party that aims to convert India into a Hindu nation.
As per official data, 4,690 people were arrested under UAPA in the last three years. Of them, 2,501, or 53.32 per cent, were under the age of 30.
Muslim Mother-Daughter Arrested In Kashmir For Protesting Extrajudicial Killing
A mother and her daughter were arrested in Kashmir on December 15 after they raised slogans against the Indian government following the extrajudicial killings of two Muslim men.
The police claimed those killed were terrorists and were carrying AK-47 rifles. But eyewitnesses quoted in news reports said they did not see any guns on the dead bodies. The two women have been identified as Afrooza and her daughter Aisha, residents of Srinagar, Kashmir’s capital and largest city. The killings occurred on December 13.
The police accused the two women of being terrorists themselves. Their arrest has caused an outrage with many accusing the authorities of using excessive force against them.
Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti tweeted: “Arresting women in Kashmir marks a new low for the administration that persecutes civilians only to please their masters in Delhi.
