Latest news with #MadhyaPradeshFreedomofReligionAct
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
CBCI's response hides facts: VHP on nuns' arrests
Kochi: State unit of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) alleged that Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) leadership's response is hiding facts of the case in which nuns are accused in Chhattisgarh. Advocate Anil Vilayil, state general secretary, said Chhattisgarh has laws to prevent religious conversions or attempts through enticement and financial promises and to prevent human trafficking. He said the cases were registered under Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act and Prevention of Human Trafficking Act, which were brought by Congress govt in 1968 when Chhattisgarh was part of Madhya Pradesh. "Such individuals and institutions should be prepared to stop illegal activities carried out only in Hindu areas. There were minors with the nuns. There is clear evidence that one child gave a statement to police that the nuns forcibly took him to Agra. In this situation, locals informed police under the impression that human trafficking was taking place for religious conversion," he said. "Some Kerala Christian movements, which work with the aim of completely evangelising India, are operating in northeastern states. Local believers may be opposed to the systematic conversion efforts by misrepresenting and interpreting Hindu rituals and spending a lot of money. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Argentina: Unsold Sofas at Bargain Prices (Prices May Surprise You) Sofas | Search Ads Search Now Undo "Calling such objections a planned conspiracy and spreading news that such things are being done by Sangh movements, including VHP and Bajrang Dal, is condemnable," said Vilayil. "CBCI should take the lead in studying the matter clearly and responding and also deterring individuals and organisations making systematic conversion efforts. VHP strongly opposes the move to attribute all responsibility to Sangh Parivar movements, no matter what happens," he added.
India Today
22-07-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Madhya Pradesh rattled by spate of ‘love jihad' cases: What police found
The Madhya Pradesh police, over the past couple of months, have been dealing with a series of crimes that, owing to their communal overtone, could blow up into wider law and order issues in the state. The alleged 'love jihad' cases threaten to keep the communal cauldron on the boil and were perpetrated despite the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, 2021, a law enacted to deter religious conversions through force, undue influence, coercion or fraud, including those done in the name of April, six Muslim men were arrested in Bhopal after a woman complained that she had been sexually exploited by some of them. The woman alleged she was being blackmailed over her intimate videos with one of the men. She told the police she was being pressured to convert to police invoked provisions of Freedom of Religion Act and rape laws against the accused. The case soon expanded to several women studying in an engineering college in Bhopal. Matters took a communal turn as all the accused were from the minority community while the women were July 1, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) sent a letter to the state chief secretary and director general of police (DGP), asking them to ensure that the complainants, who had discontinued their studies following the alleged exploitation, be given readmission in college. The NHRC increased the compensation for each woman from the Rs 50,000 announced by the state government to Rs 5 lakh. The panel has asked the state government to rehabilitate the complainants and pay the fees for those students who dropped out of college due to the case. The panel also asked for disciplinary action against police personnel who had ordered the demolition of a restaurant where the women had allegedly been sexually exploited, terming it as destruction of another case in April, four Hindu girls—three of them minors—from Bichrod village in Ujjain district filed a police complaint that they had been raped and were under coercion to convert. The six accused in the case, including a minor, are June, four men from the minority community in Nagda in Ujjain were booked for rape and under provisions of the Freedom of Religion Act after four Hindu girls pressed charges that they had been sexually exploited and asked to May, Mohsin Khan, a coach at Indore's Dream Olympic Shooting Academy, was booked for allegedly sexually exploiting a former student. The girl claimed she had been harassed in 2023 and had been threatened all this while not to speak out. The police claimed Khan's phone contained videos of him exploiting girls, mostly his students. The Bajrang Dal's local chapter termed the case as 'love jihad'.In June, two men, Sahil Sheikh and Altaf Shah, alleged they had been paid money by Anwar Qadri, a Congress corporator in the Indore Municipal Corporation, to marry Hindu women and convert them. Qadri has been booked by the police. The matter has taken a political turn with the Congress terming the allegations as political in the state have lately emerged as new communal battlegrounds, with some Hindu groups demanding that Hindu women be trained only by members of their community. A video went viral of a police sub-inspector in Bhopal purportedly asking gym owners not to allow Muslim trainers. He was transferred following a hue and state police have formed a special investigation team (SIT), headed by Bhopal inspector general Abhay Singh, to probe the Bhopal cases. An advisory has also been issued for college students by the Crime Against Women cell of the police. 'Investigations are on in the cases and a report will be submitted soon,' said said the investigations had not found any financial angle or evidence of an organised gang at Congress has blamed the ruling BJP for the law and order situation. 'For any crime happening in the state, the BJP government is directly or indirectly responsible as they have been in power for almost two decades. This is not a communal issue but that of women in general being unsafe in the state,' said Congress spokesperson Abbas Hafiz. Criticising BJP leaders for allegedly making communal statements on these cases, Hafiz added: 'Communal statements only disrupt harmony and help certain parties gain votes.'advertisementWhile Hindu groups were raking up 'love jihad', a case was reported in which the woman was a Muslim and had allegedly been befriended by a Hindu youth by posing as Muslim. This prompted some Muslim groups to challenge the contours of the term 'love jihad'.Meanwhile, a petition came up in the high court that the term 'love jihad' not be used by the media in its reporting. The court refused to to India Today Magazine- EndsMust Watch
Time of India
01-07-2025
- Time of India
Wanted corporator Qadri booked under NSA
Indore: District magistrate Asheesh Singh on Tuesday ordered an action under the National Security Act (NSA) against a corporator from Indore Anwar Qadri alias 'Dakait'. He is wanted in a crime registered under Sections 64, 64(2)(M), and 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita along with Sections 3 and 5 of the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, 2021. "Qadri faces total 18 criminal cases which are registered across various police stations. He was involved in criminal activities for an extended period," an official press release said. This development followed a prior announcement of Rs 10,000 cash reward for information leading to the arrest of Qadri by Indore police. Qadri is connected with a religious conversion case after two men, arrested in separate sexual assault cases, claimed that they were 'paid by corporator Anwar Qadri to befriend and marry majority community women by changing their identities and subsequently forcing them into religious conversion'. They had claimed that Qadri offered them Rs 3 lakh for their activities, out of which Rs 50,000 was already paid. Qadri is on the run after the revelation was made by the duo. Indore police issued a notice stating that the reward would be granted to anyone providing actionable information or assisting in ensuring arrest of the corporator. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Doctor's Day 2025 , messages and quotes!
Time of India
18-06-2025
- Time of India
Cops announce cash reward for information on absconding corporator
Indore: Indore police have announced cash reward of Rs 10,000 for information leading to the arrest of corporator Anwar Qadri, who is absconding in a case involving funding two youths accused of luring girls from the majority community by changing their identities and later forcing them to convert religion. DCP Hansraj Singh issued a notice stating that the reward would be granted to anyone who provides actionable information or assists in ensuring arrest of the fugitive. The notice mentioned: "Anwar Qadri, son of Mohammad Aslam Qadri, is a resident of Madina Nagar and currently resides at Bhishti Mohalla. He is wanted in a crime under sections 64, 64(2)(M), and 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with sections 3 and 5 of the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, 2021. Despite all possible efforts made by the police so far, his arrest remains elusive." Considering gravity of the case, the DCP offered cash reward to motivate the public to come forward with credible leads. Authorities assured that the identity of the informant would be kept confidential upon request. Banganga police station in-charge Siyaram Gurjar said that Qadri has over 18 cases registered against him at various police stations. He was out on bail in the recent cases.
The Hindu
16-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Indore Congress councillor booked after accused in rape cases allege role in religious conversion
A Congress councillor from Indore has been booked in connection with an alleged religious conversion case after two men, arrested in separate sexual assault cases, claimed that they were 'paid by councillor Anwar Qadri to befriend and marry Hindu women', a police officer said on Monday. Indore Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rajesh Dandotiya told The Hindu that two separate FIRs had been registered by two women against two individuals — Sahil Sheikh and Altaf Shah — accusing them of rape on the pretext of marriage. The two accused were arrested on Sunday. 'Soon after, a video of the two men revealing the involvement of Anwar Qadri went viral. The video is about two-three months old but they have made the same claims in police interrogation. Based on their statements, we have added his [Mr. Qadri's] name in both FIRs,' Mr. Dandotiya said. The police officer said that while the men were initially booked under rape charges, sections related to criminal conspiracy and provisions of the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, 2021, were subsequently invoked. Mr. Qadri has now been named as an accused. 'Teams are constantly working to trace him and we will arrest him soon,' he added. In the purported video, Mr. Sheikh and Mr. Shah are seen being questioned by an unidentified individual and claim that they were paid ₹2 lakh and ₹1 lakh, respectively, by Mr. Qadri to 'marry a Hindu woman'. Following the development, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticised the Congress and alleged that party leaders were 'not even hesitating to ruin the lives of Hindu girls for their petty and appeasement politics'. Indore city BJP president Sumit Mishra alleged that Mr. Qadri was 'funding love jihad' and called upon Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari to expel him from the party. However, Indore Municipal Corporation Leader of Opposition and Congress councillor Chintu Chouksey denied the allegations and described the case as a 'conspiracy by the BJP'. 'Anwar Qadri has both communities in his area and he wins with votes from both sides. Cases of love jihad should not happen in our country but this is a BJP propaganda to divert the public attention. When their Minister Vijay Shah makes derogatory remarks, nobody speaks a word. Even the Prime Minister stays silent, but then they spread such propaganda,' Mr. Chouksey told The Hindu. Mr. Chouksey said that he had spoken to both Mr. Qadri and Mr. Patwari, and the party stands by Mr. Qadri. 'We will handle the case legally,' he added.
