Right-wing activists thrash NGO members over suspicion of religious conversion
Indore, Jul 24 (PTI) Right-wing activists on Thursday allegedly bashed up members of a non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Indore over suspicion of religious conversions, showed a video that surfaced in the public domain.
The NGO has denied the charge, stressing that it works across various sectors for rural uplift.
No police complaint concerning the alleged assault has been received yet, an official said.
The alleged incident took place outside the Indore Press Club premises, where Howl Group founder Sourav Banerjee and other members of the NGO had arrived to address a press conference on the allegations. Two women associated with the NGO were also present.
A group of individuals disrupted the press conference, creating a commotion. When he and others stepped out of the venue, they were assaulted by right-wing workers, who accused the NGO of indulging in religious conversion, showed a video.
'We have been working in Shukrawasa village of Dewas district for the past five years in areas such as education, healthcare, employment and legal aid. The suspicion around (religious) conversion is completely baseless," Banerjee told reporters.
Banerjee said the right-wing activists assaulted the NGO members without any evidence. 'Let them bring even a single person whom our NGO has converted," he challenged.
He alleged that some 'corrupt and anti-social elements" in Shukrawasa were spreading rumours against the organisation and obstructing their work for personal gain.
Meanwhile, local Bajrang Dal leader Avinash Kaushal, who was present at the site, alleged that the NGO was converting innocent Hindu villagers to Christians and had 'brainwashed" some youths into distancing themselves from their families.
Ravindra Parashar, in charge of the Central Kotwali police station, said no formal complaint has been received from any party regarding the incident outside the Press Club premises. PTI HWP LAL NR
view comments
First Published:
July 24, 2025, 19:00 IST
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
3 booked for ‘luring' woman, daughter into adopting Islam
Lucknow: Balrampur police on Friday registered an FIR against three people, including Gasdi Nagar Panchayat councillor Jalaluddin alias Jalu, village head Shakeel Ahmad, and one Ismail, for illegally luring a Hindu woman and her daughter into adopting Islam. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The woman's husband, Murali, alleged that while he was in Mumbai for work, Ismail befriended his family and influenced their conversion, with active support from the councillor and village head. Police said they were also probing if the gang had any links to Chhangur Baba. The matter came to light following a complaint submitted to the superintendent of police regarding the forced religious conversion of Hindu women in the region. According to the complainant, Murali, a native of Khadgaura Babhnapurwa village, he moved to Mumbai for work along with his wife and daughter. There, Ismail from Puraena befriended his family and allegedly manipulated and coerced his wife and daughter into converting to Islam. Murali further alleged that the conversions were carried out with the active support of Jalaluddin and Shakeel Ahmed. Police say that Jalaluddin was spreading conversion activities in the region in a pattern similar to Jamaluddin alias Chhangur, who was recently arrested for running a religious conversion racket in nearby Utraula. In this specific case, the conversion reportedly occurred in Khadgaura Babhnapurwa village and involved both the woman and her children.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
A Hindu temple among flashpoints
This photo released by the Royal Thai Army, shows the scene after Cambodia fired artillery shells into a residential area at Surin Province, Thailand. (Pic credit: AP) Border disputes are long-standing issues that have caused periodic tensions between the two neighbours. Thailand and Cambodia share more than 800km of land border. The contesting claims stem largely from a 1907 map drawn under French colonial rule that was used to separate Cambodia from Thailand. Cambodia has been using the map as a reference to claim territory, while Thailand has argued the map is inaccurate. An 11th century Hindu temple called Preah Vihear, or Khao Phra Viharn in Thailand, has also been at the heart of the dispute for decades, with both Bangkok and Phnom Penh claiming historical ownership. The International Court of Justice awarded the temple to Cambodia in 1962, but Thailand has continued to lay claim to the surrounding land. Tension escalated in 2008 after Cambodia attempted to list the Preah Vihear temple as a Unesco World Heritage site, leading to skirmishes over several years and at least a dozen deaths, including during a weeklong exchange of artillery in 2011. Two years later, Cambodia sought interpretation of the '62 verdict and the ICJ again ruled in its favour, saying the land around the temple was also part of Cambodia and ordering Thai troops to withdraw. agencies
News18
2 hours ago
- News18
Muslim bodies urge govt to ensure end of Israeli aggression in Gaza
New Delhi, Jul 25 (PTI) Prominent Muslim bodies and Islamic scholars on Friday appealed to the government to stand against injustice and take swift action to ensure that the 'continued Israeli aggression" in Gaza ends, asserting that India has historically aligned itself with the oppressed and it is time to reaffirm that legacy. In a joint statement, prominent Muslim organisations and Islamic scholars called on both the Indian government and global powers to intervene and stop the 'continuing atrocities" in Gaza. 'We, the undersigned leaders of Muslim organisations in India, Islamic scholars and peace-loving citizens strongly condemn the deepening genocide and humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza. On behalf of over 200 million Indian Muslims and all peace-loving citizens of our beloved country, we express our unwavering support and solidarity with the people of Palestine," the statement said. 'We appeal to the government of India, international leaders, and people of conscience worldwide to stand against the injustice and take swift action to end the continued Israeli aggression," it said. 'The relentless assault on the Palestinian people has taken the form of a brutal genocide, characterised by systematic destruction of homes, hospitals, schools, and refugee camps. Since October 2023, nearly 100,000 innocent Palestinians, including a significant number of women and children, have lost their lives," the statement claimed. The international community cannot afford to remain silent, it said. 'We call upon all states to sever military and economic ties with Israel and back the UN General Assembly's call to end the illegal occupation. We urge all Muslim-majority nations to put strong pressure on Israel and the US to halt this catastrophe," the statement said. 'India has historically aligned itself with the oppressed; this is the moment to reaffirm that legacy," it asserted. 'We call on the Government of India to honour its long-standing moral and diplomatic tradition by standing firmly with the Palestinian people in their struggle. India must denounce Israel's brutal actions, halt all military and strategic cooperation with it, and actively back global efforts to ensure peace and stability in the region," the statement said. The statement was signed by Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind president Maulana Arshad Madani, All India Muslim Personal Law Board president Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind chief Syed Sadatullah Husaini, Markazi Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadees Maulana Ali Asghar Imam Mehdi, Fatehpuri Mosque Imam Mufti Mukarram Ahmad, and former Rajya Sabha MP Maulana Obaidullah Khan Azmi, among others. PTI ASK ARI view comments First Published: July 26, 2025, 00:45 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
