Bareilly (UP): The Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC) has sought permission from the Bareilly district administration to conduct mass marriage of men and women of other religions who have converted to Islam. The Hindu leaders have opposed the proposed event.
At the same time, the police claimed that strict action will be taken against anyone who organises any programme without the permission of the district administration and tries to spoil the atmosphere.
Talking to media persons here on Monday, IMC chief Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan said, "The marriage of men and women who have converted from Hinduism to Islam will be conducted and in the first phase, five couples will get married, in which the men and women will complete the process of conversion and embrace each other.
"The mass marriage ceremony will be held on July 21 at 11 am in Khalil Higher Secondary School. Permission has also been sought from the administration for this," he added.
Bareilly Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Anurag Arya said an application was submitted to the city magistrate for permission of the 'nikaah' (wedding) programme related to religious conversion. A report has been sought from the concerned police station area and from the Intelligence Unit regarding the matter, he said.
"The people of Bareilly city and rural areas have been assured that no one will be allowed to play with the law and order. If anyone organises any programme without the permission of the district administration and tries to spoil the atmosphere, strict legal action will be taken," the SSP added.
Meanwhile, Bareilly City Magistrate Rajiv Shukla said IMC in-charge Nadeem Qureshi has given a letter on July 11 on behalf of the organisation and seeking permission to organise the programme.
Khan claims that he has received applications from 23 young men and women who want to convert to Islam for 'nikaah'. These include eight boys and 15 girls. They have already decided their relationships, he said.
"Along with their 'nikaah', the formal process of conversion also has to be completed. Under this, five of these couples have been selected in the first phase," he said.
However, Khan did not give any information regarding the number of Hindu men and women who want to convert to Islam.
According to him, the identity of these men and women is not being revealed, as they will be harassed. The administration should make all the boys and girls talk to each other, he said.
The maulana also said the administration should not have any objection to this because the men and women are not doing anything illegal.
"We had imposed a ban saying if a man or a woman wants to convert to Islam out of greed or love, he or she will not be allowed to become a Muslim. But there was a lot of pressure to relax this ban.
"There are many men and women who are studying and working together and they have also formed relationships. At many places, they are also living in live-in relationships," he said.
The Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021 provides for prohibition of unlawful conversion from one religion to another by misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudulent means or by marriage.
Clause 8(1) of the Act says, "One who desires to convert his/her religion, shall give a declaration in the form prescribed in Schedule-I at least sixty days in advance, to the District Magistrate or the Additional District Magistrate specially authorised by District Magistrate, that he wishes to convert his/her religion on his/her own and with his/her free consent and without any force, coercion, undue influence or allurement.
Clause 8(2) says the religious convertor, who performs conversion ceremony for converting any person of one religion to another religion, shall give one month's advance notice to the district magistrate where such ceremony is proposed to be performed.
According to Khan, the law does not allow live-in relationships and the Hindu religion also does not like them because the law also gives the right to homosexuality. The Indian civilization and values do not permit it and hence, it has been decided to conduct the 'nikaah' of the young men and women willing to change their religion.
The Maulana said applications have come from nearby districts and cities for marriage.
On the question of the possibility of protest, Khan said they want to save from sins those who are working together and living together.
"Many men and women have become Hindus. But we have not objected, nor should anyone object.
"Conversion is a personal matter. If someone is converting without money or pressure, then there should be no pressure of any kind on him/her," he said.
He also said Hindus and Muslims should come together and raise their voice against live-in relationships and homosexuallity.
Meanwhile, reacting to Khan's statement, Durgesh Kumar Gupta of Nath Nagari Suraksha Samuh said, "It is wrong for young men and women of Hindu society to marry young men and women of Muslim religion.
In this regard, his organisation will give a memorandum to the district magistrate in protest against the permission sought for organising the 'nikaah' programme, he said.
Mahant Pandit Sushil Pathak of Shirdi Sai Sarv Dev Temple said, "The maulana's announcement in the holy month of Sawan is a conspiracy to disturb the peace." He has requested the district administration and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath not to give permission to IMC's event.
Bareilly Superintendent of Police (City) Rahul Bhati said Muharram is going on and Sawan is also about to start. In such a situation, the priority of the police and district administration is to maintain peace in the city.
Bhati said, "If there is a possibility of disturbance in the peaceful atmosphere due to any programme, then it will be deliberated upon. The police will give a report on the application for permission only after a thorough investigation."