Over the years, several conversion rackets have been unearthed in various parts of the country. These conversion rackets, which are typically backed by foreign organisations, Islamic outfits and influential Christian missionaries, prey on economically vulnerable Hindus and tribals by tempting them with money, two square meals, clothing, education, and other materialistic inducements. Often, these individuals, in their bid to escape the grinding poverty, accept the offer and convert their religion, only to realise later that the reprieve has been temporary and there has not been a drastic change in their predicament.
Only a small piece of this pervasive and ongoing conversion racket comes to light whenever such defenceless Hindus are rescued or when individuals, gone adrift, revert to Hinduism or undertake Ghar wapsi.
As this year comes to a close, here is a compilation of this year’s cases where vulnerable Hindu families or individuals, who were forced to convert to either Islam or Christianity, later returned to the folds of Hinduism after realising how they had fallen into the trap of evangelists or Islamists who initially lured them with financial aid and food and then brainwashed them to convert to Christianity or Islam.
Ghar Wapsi in Bulandshahr
On December 26, OpIndia reported that over 100 people belonging to 20 Valmiki families in Khurja of the Bulandshahr district of Uttar Pradesh reverted to Hinduism. The ‘Ghar Wapsi‘ initiative was organised by Rashtriya Chetna Mission along with Valmiki Sangh with the help of local MLA Minakshi Singh.
Singh said those who reverted to Hinduism took an oath to pray to Sri Ram, Sri Krishna, and other Sanatan deities from now on.
Ghar wapsi in Koppal, Karnataka
On December 16, an incident of Ghar wapsi has been reported from Karatagi village of Koppal district in Karnataka. According to reports, Shankar K and his family, who were compelled to convert to Christianity four years ago owing to financial constraints, contacted Koppal’s Hindu organisations seeking Ghar Wapsi. The Hindu Jagarana Vedike performed the rites at Karatagi village as per the requests of the family members, and the individuals reverted to Hinduism.
Ghar wapsi in Mandsaur
In a Ghar wapsi event from Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur on December 12, 2022, a man named Afsar Mansoori quit Islam and embraced Hinduism after chanting Vedic mantras and taking a Panchgavya bath. After his reversion, Mansoori gave himself a new name- Krishna Sanatani after the Vedic rituals at a temple.
80 people in UP’s Muzzafarnagar quit Islam and embrace Hinduism
On December 11, 2022, around 80 people of 12 families in Muzzafarnagar quit Islam and embraced Hinduism in presence of Mahant Swami Yashveer Maharaj at Yog Sadhana Ashram, Bagra. The 80 members, belonging to the Dalit community, alleged that they were earlier Hindus and were forced to convert to Islam by Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan.
The members undertook Ghar wapsi by chanting Gayatri Mantra and by embracing the Hindu religious thread ‘Janeu’.
Jharkhand’s Muskan Khatun embraces Hinduism, marries Ram in a Hindu temple
On November 24, OpIndia reported that in Jharkhand’s Godda district, a Muslim girl named Muskan Khatun embraced Hinduism and got married to her Hindu partner Ram. Muskan Khatun said that she likes the Hindu Dharma and is very happy with her decision.
Muskan converted to Hindu Dharma and amidst the chants of ‘Har Har Mahadev’, got married to Ram in a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony on November 22.
Reportedly, several Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bajrang Dal, and RSS activists were also present during the wedding. While Muskan’s family members had threatened to kill her as she changed her religion and married a Hindu man, Ram’s family had accepted their marriage.
Akshay Gaur reverts to Hinduism after filing complaint against mosque caretaker who converted him to Islam
On Friday (November 18), in Madhya Pradesh’s Khandwa district, the caretaker of a mosque was booked on the charges of forcefully converting a Hindu man named Akshay Gaur to Islam.
Akshay Gaur of Prabhu Prem Puram locality filed a police complaint alleging that Alim Qadri converted him to Islam taking advantage of his family problems. After formally lodging a complaint, he said that his Hindu friends found out about his forceful conversion. They spoke to him and convinced him after which he reverted to Hinduism by giving him Gangajal. “I later changed my name from Akshay Gaur to Mohammad Fahim Khan and announced it on Facebook.” When my Hindu friends found out about it, they called me and persuaded me for three days. “They helped me get rid of the illusion I was caught in,” he said.
500 tribals in Odisha revert to Hinduism
On October 20, 2022, around 500 people, who belong to the Schedule Tribes, in Odisha embraced Hinduism. Vishwa Kalyan Mahayagya was organized in the village Jamurla of Sundargarh district for the Ghar wapsi of these people who were previously converted to Christianity. The event was organized by Dharma Jagran Coordination Department, Odisha in collaboration with Arya Samaj, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal.
5 members of a family in Bijnor, who were converted to Islam 8-years-ago, reverts to Hinduism
A five-member family living in Uttar Pradesh’s Bijnor district, who had converted to Islam 8 years ago, reverted to Sanatan Dharma in October this year. Mohammad Ahmed, the patriarch of the family was renamed Sandeep Saini, and his wife Sania was again named Seema Saini.
Saint Yashveer of Yashveer Ashram, who helped the family to revert to Hinduism by performing Yagna and springing Gangajal on the family members for purification, had said how the Saini family was lured and converted to Islam 8 years ago. “I would call it Ghar wapsi instead of conversion,” the Hindu saint said.
Mohammed Nisar willingly embraces Sanatan Dharma In Mandsaur, MP
In September this year, it was reported how one Mohammed Nisar out of his own will embraced the Sanatan Dharma at the Gayatri temple in Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh and adopted the new identity as Sonu Singh. After embracing Hinduism, Sonu Singh said that his inclination was towards Hinduism from the beginning and after marrying a Hindu girl, he started worshipping at home but was always afraid of the consequences if he embraced Sanatan Dharma.
“I would have adopted Sanatan long ago, but there was no one to give me the courage. My grandfather’s name was Chand Singh. Our forefathers were Hindus, so I named myself Sonu Singh and converted to Hinduism. I do not know how to read Namaz, nor have I ever read Quran. I liked living like a Hindu. That’s why I used to apply Tilak. The law of India allows me to follow the religion of my faith,” Nisar had said after embracing Hinduism.
Rukhsar Khatoon does Ghar wapsi and becomes Nisha, says was frustrated since father wanted to consummate his 5th marriage
On September 25, OpIndia reported that a Madarsa student named Rukhsar Khatoon adopted Hinduism as per Hindu rituals and customs. Rukhsar who hails from the Gorakhpur district of Uttar Pradesh changed her name to Nisha after embracing Hinduism. After conversion, she married a Hindu man, the love of her life, Ram Ashish. Speaking about her decision, Nisha alias Rukhsar Khatoon discussed the aspects of Islam that she found objectionable. She said that her father already has four wives and is planning to consummate his 5th marriage, which she felt was wrong and which is why she chose a Hindu boy as her life partner.
Muslim woman embraces Hinduism after alcoholic husband gives her triple talalq
In another similar instance, an aggrieved Muslim woman named Rubina Khan of Haldwani in Uttarakhand wilfully adopted Hinduism and married a Hindu man named Prempal after her alcoholic ex-husband Shoiab threw her out of the house after giving her triple talaq.
Ikra becomes Ishika after willingly accepting Hinduism and marries a Hindu boy
In yet another similar incident, a Muslim woman named Ikra willingly converted her religion from Islam to Hinduism in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandasaur district and married a Hindu man in the month of September this year. The woman married her love Rahul Verma and accepted Hinduism as her new religion amid the religious chants at Gayatri Mandir.
After performing Ghar Wapsi, Ishika reiterated that she has converted her religion to Hinduism willingly and that she wants her family members to stay away from her husband and her new family.
Retired railway supervisor Abdul Jameel of Fatehpur embraces Hinduism
On Thursday 21st July 2022, a man named Abdul Jameel in Fatehpur in Uttar Pradesh quit Islam and embraced Hinduism at the Sankat Mochan Mandir amidst the holy chants of Vedic Mantras along with all the rituals according to the Sanatan Dharma. He will now be known as Shravan Kumar. Abdul Jameel – a retired government servant – said that he developed an interest in the Sanatan Dharma over the last many years.
Abdul Jameel said, “When my brother-in-law Babar alias Mustakim knew that I am converting to Hinduism, he locked me at home and he beat me. I believed in my deity, Lord Ram. I perform his puja at my home for the last three months.”
He added, “Lord Ram is the ancestor of the whole of India, and people should happily accept this fact.”
UP youth who was misled and converted to Islam reverts to Hinduism
A Hindu youth named Saurabh Rastogi, who was brainwashed into converting to Islam 11-years-ago returned to his faith in July this year. Saurabh who had started identifying himself as Muhhamad Suhail after conversion said that a Muslim cleric had brainwashed his father and other family members to eschew Hinduism and embrace Islam.
However, 11 years later, Saurabh Rastogi wrote to the District Magistrate of Bareilly Shivakant Dwivedi stating that he felt smothered in the religion of Islam and wanted to revert to Hinduism. Finally, on July 12, Saurabh Rastogi came back to the fold of Hinduism amid havan and puja rituals.
18 Muslims convert to Hinduism because they believe their ancestors were Hindus
In June this year, reports emerged that 18 Muslims retreated to Sanatan Dharma after worshipping at the Shiva temple in Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh saying that their forefathers were Hindus. They offered prayers at the Bhimnath Mahadev Temple in Amba. In the presence of Swami Anandgiri Maharaj, everyone took a bath with Gaumutra and wore Janeus. The individuals who adopted Hinduism signed an affidavit testifying that they converted of their own free will.
Muslim man Shaikh Jafar Qureshi does Ghar Wapsi in MP
On May 28, OpIndia reported that a Muslim man named Shaikh Jafar Qureshi renounced Islam and accepted Hinduism in the Mandasaur district of Madhya Pradesh. The 46-year-old Sheikh was given the initiation to Hinduism by performing ritual worship by Mahamandaleshwar Swami Chidambaranand Saraswati at the Pashupatinath temple. From May 28 Shaikh Jafar Qureshi was known by his new name Chetan Singh Rajput.
Elaborating on his feeling over having a new name, Chetan Singh Rajput said, “Forefathers of Muslims were Rajput. So I decided to consider Rajput surname for myself. I am a devotee of Lord Shiva and was fascinated by Sanatan Dharma since childhood”, he reiterated. He also stated that now he will support and encourage all those people who want to adopt Hinduism as a religion.
Muslim girl converts to Hinduism, called her family members fanatics
On May 23 it was reported a Muslim girl has converted to Hinduism in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly district to marry a Hindu youth, Bobby Kashyap. “My family members and relatives are of fanatic and fundamentalist ideology. They hate Hinduism but I have unwavering faith in Hinduism,” Lubna Shahjeen who became Arohi said after reverting to Hinduism.
Mohammad Gulnaz turns Virat Kumar after realising ‘what’s wrong and what’s right’
One Mohammad Gulnaz rejected Islam to adopt Hinduism in Uttar Pradesh Shahjahanpur district in the month of May this year. Gulnaz became Virat Kumar amid Hindu rituals and mantras, with the help of members of Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal.
After adopting Hinduism, Virat claimed that when he realized “what’s wrong and what’s right” he decided to get back to his original roots. “My ancestors were “Sanatanis” keeping that in consideration I returned back to my original religion. Sanatan Dharm is the oldest dharma and I returned to it on my own,” said Virat and also appealed to his family members to return to Hinduism.
A Muslim girl in Bareilly does Ghar Wapsi
On May 16 it was reported that a Muslim girl, Nazish, married a Hindu boy in the temple in Bareilly after undertaking Ghar wapsi. Nazish who started identifying herself as Niharika after reverting to Hinduism had said that she had immense faith in the Hindu religion and there was no pressure or coercion from anyone on her. Mahant of Agastya Muni Ashram had helped Nazish to embrace Hinduism according to Hindu customs and rituals.
Ex-AIMIM leader and wife want to quit Islam, adopt Hinduism
In April, the former district president of Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM (All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen) Mohd Ruved Sabir and his wife Samina Parveen expressed their desire to convert to Hinduism and reached out to Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath to seek help in the due process. The couple said that they have been compelled to take the decision after they did not receive any help from the leaders and organisations of their own community.
Uttar Pradesh: Eight members of two Muslim families revert to Hinduism
Eight members of two Muslim families reverted to Hinduism in the Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, April 26, 2022. Mahant Swami Yashveer Maharaj and Swami Mrigendra Maharaj of Swami Yashveer Ashram Parishad at Bagra brought them back to the Hinduism fold after performing the havan and puja rituals. All of them became Hindu amidst the chants of holy mantras by doing Achamana of the holy Gangajal.
Bareilly: Christian boy and Muslim girl undergo gharwapsi
In the same month, a Christian boy and a Muslim girl underwent Ghar wapsi and got married according to Hindu rituals in the Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh. According to reports, the Christian groom Sumit loved Sanatan values and culture, so he proposed to his lover Noor to marry him by becoming a Hindu. Noor immediately accepted the proposal and the duo decided to undergo Ghar wapsi and get married.
Ghar Wapsi of 1250 people in Chhattisgarh
In the state of Chhattisgarh, 1250 persons returned to Sanatan Dharma. This occurred at the Vishwa Kalyan Mahayagya held in Katangpali village in the Mahasamund district of Chattisgarh on Tuesday, March 22, 2022.
‘Ghar Wapsi’ in Pakistan
On March 14, a Pakistani national, Zakriya Hanif, who identifies as transgender, announced that she was leaving Islam and embracing Hinduism. In a tweet where she posted photographs of herself donning Tilak at a temple and the gate of the temple, she wrote, “Officially leaving muslimanity and joining Hinduism.” She also used the hashtag Ghar Wapsi, a term often used for people coming back to Hinduism.
61 tribal Christian families do Ghar wapsi in Jharkhand
In March this year, as many as 61 families of Vanvasi (tribal) Samaj in Jharkhand’s Sahibganj district converted back to their Sarna religion. According to reports, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) Department Minister Kalicharan Mandal had organised a program for the return of these 61 Sarna tribal families in the Sahibganj district.
झारखंड के साहिबगंज जिले में वनवासी समाज के 61 परिवारों के सैंकड़ों लोगों ने पूरे रीति-रिवाज के साथ की घर वापसी। ईसाई मिशनरियों ने प्रलोभन दे करवाया था धर्म परिवर्तन। विहिप ने चला रखा है घर वापसी का अभियान… pic.twitter.com/ncbzhpgJFB
— rachna jha (@rachnajha23) March 25, 2022
181 Christians reconverted to the original tribal Sarna faith in Jharkhand
It’s worth noting that while Christian missionaries operating in the rural hamlets of Jharkhand have been luring vulnerable tribals with land and money in order to convert them, members of various Hindu outfits have been working tirelessly to free these innocent tribals from the clutches of such evangelists.
Prior to the aforementioned incident, as many as 181 members of a tribal community whose ancestors had embraced Christianity many years ago were converted back to their Sarna religion in different villages of the Garhwa district in Jharkhand.
The Dharma Jagran and Tribal Suraksha Manch organised the Saraedih Village Tribal Conference for the return of the Sarna tribals. In the program, all the Christian converts who wished to revert back to their original faith were welcomed as per the tribal tradition of washing their feet.
Malayalam director Ali Akbar renounced Islam and embraced Hinduism
A month after quitting Islam, Malayalam Director Ali Akbar officially reconverted to Hinduism in January. On the 10th of December, Ali Akbar announced that he was leaving Islam and would be known as Ramasimhan henceforth.
Ghar wapsi in Karnataka
On January 10, a unique case of Gharwapsi had come to the fore in Karnataka’s Yadgir district. A man whose family converted to Christianity close to 50 years ago had returned to the fold of Hinduism along with his wife and three children.
In his interview with Times of India, Timothy said he is unaware of the circumstances that led his parents to eschew Hinduism and embrace Christianity 50 years back. But now, he is preparing to return to his original religion.
