Siddharthnagar: A case of alleged religious conversion linked to financial inducements has surfaced in Siddharthnagar district of Uttar Pradesh. Former Minister Satish Dwivedi has claimed that a coordinated effort is underway in Dhobahi village, under the Mishraulia police station limits, targeting economically vulnerable Hindu families and attempting to persuade them to change their faith.
An FIR has been registered against Maulvi Ghulam Hussain, former village head, along with Hadisullah and Farooq. According to Dwivedi, the village has a predominantly Muslim population, with a section of impoverished Dalit Hindu families who are being specifically targeted.
During a press conference, two brothers alleged that their sibling, Ramprasad alias Dakalu, converted to Islam along with his three daughters. They stated that he adopted Islamic practices such as wearing a skullcap, observing Roza, and following religious customs during Ramzan. His daughters reportedly began offering namaz at a mosque, wearing burqas, and attending a maktab for Islamic education.
Dwivedi further alleged that the accused lured individuals with promises of money, housing, and access to government welfare schemes. He added that Ramprasad’s brothers, Babulal Vishwakarma and Omprakash Vishwakarma, were also pressured to convert but refused despite repeated inducements. Babulal Vishwakarma, a BJP booth president, reportedly brought the matter to Dwivedi’s attention. The family is engaged in agriculture.
The brothers also claimed they were threatened with serious consequences for resisting the pressure. Dwivedi pointed to a financial transaction, allegedly from Hadisullah’s brother residing in an Arab country to Ramprasad’s bank account, as indicative of a larger conspiracy linked to the conversions.
Calling for a fair and impartial probe, Dwivedi warned that the issue could disrupt social harmony if not addressed promptly. Police have registered a case under Sections 3 and 5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021, and have launched a search operation to apprehend the accused.
