Couple alleges forced religious conversion in Rajasthan's Alwar, police initiate probe

Alwar (Rajasthan) [India], October 20 (ANI): A couple in Rajasthan's Alwar has lodged an FIR alleging that their parents, who had converted to another religion earlier, are pressurising them to convert also and stopping them from worshipping their gods, a police officer said.
"A complaint was registered by a couple against their parents, alleging that they are being forced into religious conversion, and not allowed to worship their gods," SP Tejaswini Gautam said on Thursday.

The official said that an FIR has been registered and an investigation into the matter has been undertaken.
"An FIR has been registered and an investigation into the matter is underway. Prima facie the case looks like that of family issues," she said.
Complainant Sonu said that his parents had converted to Christianity nearly two years ago and they forced them (the couple) to convert as well while also creating hindrances in following their religious beliefs and customs.
"Some members of my family have adopted Christianity. They protest against us when we pray to god. They even tamper with the pictures of our gods. They force us to convert. We want to live with Hindu customs. But they create problems. They tell us not to follow Hinduism," he said.
"We have filed a complaint with the police," Sonu added.
District president of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Dilip Modi alleged that the parents in the said family "threatened" to boycott if they (other family members) did not convert.

"A case came to the notice of Vishwa Hindu Parishad that there is a family in 60 Feet Harijan area where the parents are making their children onvert to Christianity. But in the same family, other members follow Christianity. When the children worship their gods, they break the photos of the gods and stop them from praying. They tell them not to worship at home," he said.
"They tell them to convert around 25 people along with them. They also threaten of boycott if they (children) do not adopt Christianity," Modi added.
Claiming that the parents have created a "chain" in society, he alleged that they force other people also to convert.
"They have created a chain here according to which they lure people in many ways including paying them on a monthly basis to convert to Christianity. They also demean the Hindu deities and force people to convert to Christianity," he alleged.
"It is a racket and they have got security from the top. They receive funding. They want the number of Hindus to decrease," Modi added.
Further investigation into the matter is underway. (ANI)