3,000 Dalits decide to convert to Islam on January 05

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3,000 Dalits decide to convert to Islam on January 05

District officials could not comment on the issue as the model code of conduct is in place in Coimbatore

Saturday December 28, 2019 0:18 AM, ummid.com with inputs from IANS

Coimbatore: Alleging discrimination from the authorities in Tamil Nadu, about 3,000 Dalits in a small village near Coimbatore, had on Sunday announced their intention to convert to Islam on January 5.

The death of seventeen people in a wall collapse in Nadur village on December 2 and the alleged apathy on the part of the authorities has led them to embrace Islam.

District officials could not comment on the issue as the model code of conduct is in place in Coimbatore on account of local body elections currently underway there. However, as per administration sources, the government has announced compensation, and other relief measures such as homes and jobs for the victims' families.

But the Tamil Pulikal Katchi, a pro-Dalit organisation of which the Dalits planning to convert are members of, has alleged that police are not taking action against the owner of the house in the wall collapse incident, as per the provisions of the SC/ST atrocities act.

Meanwhile, stating that the VHP views such developments with concern, its spokesperson Vinod Bansal said that the organisation will treat this matter seriously and send a team to talk to them and convince them to abort their plans.

"Vishwa Hindu Parishad is completely against any caste based discrimination. But religious conversion isn't the way", Bansal told IANS.

On the other hand, a senior functionary of the BJP said he is not aware of the matter but added that they will ask the party unit in Tamil Nadu to find out.

On being asked whether it will be bad optics for the party, he said: "It's too premature to comment. For all you know, it's a big bubble created by vested interests."

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