The Vishva Hindu Parishad will launch a countrywide campaign on 20 December against alleged unlawful conversion in the country.

The campaign, ‘Dharma Raksha Abhiyan’ will be kicked off from 20 to 31 December, Alok Kumar, Central Working President VHP said.

The VHP leader called upon the Central and state governments to make a stringent law to check “the unlawful conversion by Jihadi and Christian Missionaries.”

“The time has now come to impose severe penalties upon the persons involved in religious conversions obtained by allurement, fear or deceit,” Kumar said.

Alok Kumar said that Swami Sharadhananda who lead the Sudhi movement to bring back the converted was martyred on 23 December. The VHP had been celebrating 23 December every year as the ‘Dharm Raksha Diwas’, he said.

Giving details of the campaign, Kumar said public awareness will be enhanced through the distribution of literature, public meetings, social media, etc., to expose the conspiracies of the persons engaged in conversion, so that the Hindu society sees through their anti-Hindu and anti-national acts and awakens to stop them.

Alok Kumar alleged, “At the time when the entire country and the world was battling the fatal Covid-19 infections and most of the socio-religious organizations in India  were engaged in serving the affected victims, some maulvis/clerics and padris/pastors were doggedly and aggressively exploiting the tragic and calamitous times to convert unsuspecting and vulnerable people.”

Kumar demanded that states which do not have a strong law to stop illegal conversions and love-jihad should make it immediately keeping in mind the interests of the country and the national society.

He said in view of the pan-Bharat activities of illegal conversions and their links with terrorist outfits, the Central Government should enact a strong law to check these conspiracies at the earliest.

“The necessary constitutional amendment should also be made at the earliest to plug the special benefits meant for the Scheduled Tribes brethren from flowing to the persons who abandon their indigenous faith and convert to another religion,” the VHP leader said.

The VHP further urged upon all the Sant-Mahatma-Dharmacharyas and socio-cultural leaders to create wide public awareness in the society against these conspiratorial forces, stop illegal conversions and bring back the converted people to with their roots, Parishad Spokesperson Vinod Bansal said.