1981 Meenakshipuram conversion

Mass conversion of Hindus to Islam in India July 2020 June 2020 The 1981 Meenakshipuram Conversion was a mass religious conversion that took place in the Indian village of Meenakshipuram, Tamil Nadu, in which hundreds of oppressed caste Hindus converted to Islam. This incident sparked debate over freedom of religion in India and the government decided to introduce anti-conversion legislation.https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/indiascope/story/19810915-sudden-spurt-in-conversions-of-harijans-to-islam-forces-govt-to-study-the-issue-773219-2013-11-11 Sudden spurt in conversions of Harijans to Islam forces govt to study the 'issue' India Today 11 November 2013 25 December 2014 Later, many converts converted back to Hinduism, citing the lack of fulfillment of promises made during the conversions. Conversion Meenakshipuram is a village in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu, India. The scheduled caste members in the village were segregated by the other castes, who referred to them as untouchables on the basis of the Indian caste system.Akshayakumar Ramanlal Desai Violation of Democratic Rights in India https://books.google.com/books?id=0vekq6s2RyYC&pg=PA12 1 January 1991 Popular Prakashan 978-81-7154-529-2 12–13 The district had a long history of caste-related violence.Manjari Katju Vishva Hindu Parishad and Indian Politics https://books.google.com/books?id=b70nKb-8YuMC&pg=PA32 2003 Orient Blackswan 978-81-250-2476-7 32 They embraced Islam, tired of upper caste atrocities, mostly by the landed OBC Thevar community in the village.https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/flashback-how-800-dalit-hindus-were-converted-to-islam-33-years-45123.html Flashback: How 800 Dalit Hindus in Meenakshipuram were converted to Islam 33 years ago 12 December 2014India Briefind, 1991 Philip Oldenburg 1991 119 Avalon 9780813382548 https://books.google.com/books?id=1bWRDxm8ObUC The scheduled caste members, who belonging to the Pallar community, had historically tussled with the majority Maravar community. The Pallars were considered untouchable by the majority community. They were predominantly employed as farm labour and their income and education was lower. During the time of conversion, there was reportedly 40 per cent of Pallar youths were educated who induced the conversion.Subaltern revolts in Tamilnadu B.S. Chandrababu JJ Publications Madurai 2001 53–6 Though originally 220 families were registered for conversions, about 40 of them changed their mind and 180 families attended the ceremony held on 19 February 1981.Averting the Apocalypse: Social Movements in India Today 346 Duke University Press https://archive.org/details/avertingapocalyp00bonn registration 1990 9780822310297 Aftermath After the incident, the Tamil Nadu government set up an inquiry commission to investigate the conversion. The commission in its report suggested an anti-conversion bill to be passed by the state government, but the government put it on hold.https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/states/story/20021118-jayalalithaas-anti-conversion-law-causes-political-polarisation-in-tamil-nadu-794296-2002-11-17 Jayalalithaa's anti-conversion law causes political polarisation in Tamil Nadu India Today 18 November 2002 24 December 2014 The media reported that the conversion took place by force, using foreign funding.Cultures of Conversions https://books.google.com/books?id=7-W-wOgKI9cC&dq=press&pg=PA2 Jan N. Bremmer Wout Jac. van Bekkum Arie L. Molendijk 2006 Peeters Publishers 9789042917538Averting the Apocalypse: Social Movements in India Today 347 Duke University Press https://archive.org/details/avertingapocalyp00bonn registration 1990 9780822310297Religion, Caste, and Politics in India 162 Christophe Jaffrelot Primus Books While some converts denied the allegations,https://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2012/12/05/ayodhya-the-battle-for-indias-soul-chapter-three/ Ayodhya, the Battle for India's Soul: Chapter Three WSJ 5 December 2012 24 December 2014 others said that they had been bribed. Ayyappan, a resident of Meenakshipuram, said that he had declined an offer of Rs. 500 in cash to convince him to renounce his faith.Politics of Conversion 30 Devendra Swarup Deendayal Research Institute 1986 One news paper had also printed a photo of a currency note from a Gulf country. The official report of SC / ST, the Government of India on the conversions said: "Dalits were those who contacted Muslims for the first time ... they went to Tirunelveli to ask Muslim leaders to join Islam; Their elders have considered converting to Islam for 20 years. Converts contributed Rs 41,000 for their conversion ceremony. An estimated of 1,100 scheduled caste members from the village had converted to Islam.https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/flashback-how-800-dalit-hindus-were-converted-to-islam-33-years-45123.html Flashback: How 800 Dalit Hindus in Meenakshipuram were converted to Islam 33 years ago 12 December 2014 Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was reportedly unhappy, and Home Minister Zail Singh questioned if "a conspiracy or political motivation" was involved in these conversions. A number of press reporters and politicians such as Atal Bihari VajpayeeMass-conversions of Meenakshipuram: a sociological enquiry 49 Mumtaz Ali Khan 1983 Christian Literature Society and Yogendra MakwanaMGR: A Life 276 Penguin Random House India 2017 visited the village. Most of the converted Dalits became supporters of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), while the upper caste Thevars have aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/flashback-how-800-dalit-hindus-were-converted-to-islam-33-years-45123.html Flashback: How 800 Dalit Hindus in Meenakshipuram were converted to Islam 33 years ago 12 December 2014 The BJP later took the issue of Meenakshipuram conversion to the Parliament when it reached the Lok Sabha in 1984 with two seats. Its cause gathered momentum over the years and culminated with the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992.https://www.dtnext.in/News/TopNews/2019/11/10041638/1196679/Meenakshipuram-TNs-link-to-Babri-demolition-now-prays-.vpf https://web.archive.org/web/20211216055411/https://www.dtnext.in/News/TopNews/2019/11/10041638/1196679/Meenakshipuram-TNs-link-to-Babri-demolition-now-prays-.vpf dead 16 December 2021 Meenakshipuram, TN's link to Babri demolition, now prays for harmony DT Next 10 November 2019 Many of the converts left Islam later on.https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/religion/story/19830315-meenakshipuram-in-tamil-nadu-becomes-battleground-of-hindu-zealots-and-muslim-fanatics-770499-2013-07-24 Meenakshipuram in Tamil Nadu becomes battleground of Hindu zealots and Muslim fanatics 15 March 1983 India Today 30 June 2020 By July 1981, some of the converts returned to Hinduism.The Demolition: India at the Crossroads Meenakshipuram. In July 1981, some of the converts to Islam had re-converted to Hinduism. 129 https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.461144 In 1991, a decade later, 900 out of 1,100 converts returned to Hinduism, citing the lack of fulfillment of promises made during the conversions.Meenakshipuram Harijans flip-flop between Islam and Hinduism 1991 https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/religion/story/19910430-meenakshipuram-harijans-flip-flop-between-islam-and-hinduism-814434-1991-04-29 In 2015, 33 years after the incident, Rediff.com conducted a survey in the village and reported that those who converted to Islam said they were happy.http://www.rediff.com/news/special/meenakshipuram-33-years-on-muslims-happy-hindus-not/20150112.htm Meenakshipuram, 33 years on: Muslims happy, Hindus not Rediff 12 January 2015 22 October 2017 In 2019, The Muslims insist that they are now being accorded dignity and respect.https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/in-meenakshipuram-conversions-continue-in-hope-of-social-dignity/articleshow/68913456.cms In Meenakshipuram, conversions continue in hope of social dignity | Chennai News - Times of India The Times of India 17 April 2019 Of the many who continue to remain Muslims, almost all have reconverted to Hinduism after conversion.https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/religion/story/19910430-meenakshipuram-harijans-flip-flop-between-islam-and-hinduism-814434-1991-04-30 Meenakshipuram: Harijans flip-flop between Islam and Hinduism References Category:Religious conversion in India Category:Conversion to Islam Category:1981 in India Category:1980s in Tamil Nadu Category:Social history of Tamil Nadu Category:Dalit history