Hindutva group calls off Aligarh mass conversion
A controversy had erupted after the outfit's announcement that it will conduct a mass conversion ceremony at a college in Aligarh on Christmas, December 25.
The western UP-based Hindutva group Dharam Jagaran Samiti which had planned to conduct a mass conversion ceremony on Christmas Day in Aligarh has called off the controversial programme on Wednesday after days of stand-off.
Satya Prakash Nauman, district president of the outfit, told PTI over phone, "The proposed 'ghar wapsi' (conversion ceremony) planned for December 25 has been called off".
However, he did not elaborate the reason behind the outfit's u-turn.
A controversy had erupted after the outfit's announcement that it will conduct a mass conversion ceremony at a college in Aligarh on Christmas, December 25.
Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC were clamped in the city two days ago.
BJP MP Yogi Adityanath had also announced his plans to attend the proposed ceremony, saying there was nothing wrong if people re-convert to Hinduism if they are doing it willingly.
However, BJP had adopted a cautious approach on the potential face-off between the district authorities and the other saffron organisations.
"We are not organising this ceremony but if the organisers including the Bajrang Dal seek our help on this score, we will certainly do whatever we can to help them," BJP's district president Devraj Singh had told reporters.