Communal tension flared in the Nagla-Singhi hamlet of Aligarh’s Mainath village after Bajrang Dal members alleged that groups of over half-a-dozen Muslim “preachers” were trying to “convert” the villagers.
Bajrang Dal members and other right-wing leaders alleged the group reportedly moving around the village trying to “convert” the villagers.
According to police allegations of conversion were prima facie false. The village, incidentally, has no Muslim population.
Suraj Pal, 75-year-old villager, who belongs to Kanjar community at whose house the group had stopped said:
“These religious leaders visit our village often. On Saturday, they were thirsty, so I offered them water. Since it was time for namaz, they asked for my permission to offer prayers. I could not have said no to them.”
Pal insisted their visit had nothing to do with religion conversion and that he has been friends with the preachers since a long time.
Suraj Pal further supported him. “Kanjars do not belong to any religion. We eat poori sabzi on Diwali and sewai on Eid.”
An FIR was registered against seven members of the congregation are identified as Mohammad Faisal, Nasibul Hasan, Shan Mohammad, Mohammad Salman, Mohammad Sarfuddin, Mohammad Ishtaq and Raza Mohammad.
The Muslim community denied the allegations and demanded to release all the person prisoned at Madrak police station.
SP MLA Zafar Alam, who reached the spot soon after the apprehension of the preachers, said: “Some people are trying to make this an issue to gain political mileage. These preachers were not involved in any conversion.
After four hours of communal tension, the district administration let loose all the people at Madrak and handed over them to the Muslim community.
Aligarh Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) J. Ravindra Gaur said, the situation is now under control and residents are requested to maintain law and order in the city.