Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 13 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Rajya Sabha MP Brij Lal on Sunday alleged that Chhangur Baba, running a massive religious conversion racket, was funded by Pakistan and other Islamic countries to make India an Islamic country.
Speaking in Lucknow, Lal claimed that the India-Nepal border has been a sensitive area, with madrasas near the border serving as refugee camps.
"The India Nepal border has been a very sensitive area. These madrasas near the border are refugee camps. The fort that Chhangur Baba built in India was funded by Pakistan and other Islamic countries. They have only one goal: to make India an Islamic country," Lal told ANI.
Chhangur Baba, whose real name is Jalaluddin, was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) for allegedly running a conversion racket that targeted Hindu women, particularly those who are poor, widowed, or socially vulnerable.
Baba's associate Neetu alias Nasreen was also arrested and is currently in ATS custody. The ATS investigation revealed that Baba's network received nearly Rs 500 crore in foreign funding over three years, with Rs 300 crore allegedly funneled through illegal hawala channels via Nepal.
"They cannot win in a war... Our ATS has exposed this so-called Baba and his network... Funding is coming from abroad. Terrorists have been funded for a long time. Chhangur Baba used to sell rings on a bicycle, now owns 400-500 crores... All of this has been exposed in Modi and Yogi's rule, and it will be uprooted...," added Lal.
A resident of Madpur village in Uttar Pradesh's Balrampur district, Chhangur Baba, Neetu alias Nasreen, and others are accused of being involved in a large-scale conspiracy involving unlawful religious conversions, utilisation of foreign funding, and activities posing a potential threat to national security and communal harmony. The UP Police's Anti-Terrorism Squad had arrested Chhangur Baba and his aide in Lucknow on July 5.
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said that illegal religious conversions are part of a deep-rooted conspiracy against the nation and society, and declared that such acts will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
He highlighted the recent action taken in Balrampur, where a large-scale conversion racket was busted. He said that the state government has exposed a network involved in forced religious conversions, funded by foreign sources.
CM Yogi Adityanath said, "We have proceeded with a huge investigation in Balrampur. You must have seen he (Jalaluddin alias Chhingur Baba) had fixed rates (for conversion). He was receiving foreign funding. Transactions of more than Rs 100 crores were found in his 40 bank accounts."
Describing these developments as a threat to both social and financial security, the Chief Minister asserted that converting Scheduled Caste individuals by luring or intimidating them is unconstitutional and violates the spirit of social harmony.
"Such acts aim to break society and harm communal amity," Yogi said, adding that strict action is being taken against those involved.