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| Secret inquiry confirms religious conversions in Jammu | | Investigation ordered by highest quarters | |
Jammu May, 9
Finally the cat is out of the bag on the issue of religious conversions in the state of Jammu and Kashmir as it has forced the concerned agencies to read between the lines of the issue.
Highly placed sources within agencies revealed on authorized anonymity that a secret inquiry has been initiated over this issue and reportedly indicated about a large number of cases in which people in Jammu have changed religion for pecuniary benefits.
It needs to mention that ‘The Early Times’ in its issue on April 10, 2007 under the heading ‘religious conversion going unabated in Jammu hinterland’ and has cautioned about religious conversions within state with pouring of mentors moving around in peripheral locations where the people were facing economic problems. This has put the concerned agencies on their tenterhooks on this issue which later put the government to initiate an inquiry in this regard.
The inquiry was initiated from the highest quarters of the state government after a report was published in this newspaper.
Corroborating the news published in this newspaper, the inquiry conducted by the police department and CID has said that there indeed have been a number of cases in which money and other benefits have been offered to lure people to convert to a particular religion.
Worried over the negative impact of this activity which could harm social cohesion in the state, and the state government wanted to know what the actual situation was and this was the reason that the inquiry was ordered.
Sources said that the government had directed top police officers to conduct an inquiry into the conversions which have started generating tension in and around Jammu.
All the police stations in Jammu had been directed to look into this issue and report the matter to their superiors, an order in this regard had also been issued.
After a detailed inquiry conducted by the agencies, it has been reported that there have been many cases of conversions in the state, sources said.
Worthwhile to mention that all the tricks and tactics used in the trade are being used to bait the people from lower strata of society to covert their faith or religion and adopt the new faith and these just for emotional/psychological/monetary gains furthering even ensuring jobs, social security, education and whatever else is needed for the purpose. Sources, revealed that people from poor economic and social backgrounds who are vulnerable to fell into the trap of the motivators particularly become easy targets.
Entire families have converted their religion and all of them are from very low social and financial strata. The conversions, however, have generated tension in the Jammu region and there have been cases of protests lodged by Hindu right wing organizations in the area.
For inept it needs to mention here that Chief Justice A.N. Ray in Reverend Stainislaus v. State of Madhya Pradesh (AIR 1977 SC 908) and Yulitha v. State of Orissa and others ruled that propagation is different from conversion.
The Court had held that any attempt at conversion was likely to result in a breach of public order affecting the community at large, and the State legislature could enact legislation to avoid disturbances to the public order by prohibiting conversion from one religion to another in a manner reprehensible to the conscience of the community. The people, who have converted, however contend that the conversions were a protest against the humiliation of untouchability, poor economic conditions as well lack of social mobility suffered by the community.
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