Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau scanner on conversions in Thiruvananthapuram
An earlier report by the state police had stated that during 2011-15 period, as many as 5,793 persons were converted to Islam in the state.
Thiruvananthapuram: In the wake of reports of widespread religious conversions and related financial transactions taking place in the state, the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) has decided to put those activities under scanner.
The reports of youths being converted to Islam as part of recruitment to outfits like IS has prompted Vigilance Director Jacob Thomas to take the proactive measure.
“Forcibly religious conversions involving huge financial transactions can be considered as corruption and hence there was no question of VACB overstepping its limits to look into these aspects,” vigilance director Mr Jacob Thomas said.
An earlier report by the state police had stated that during 2011-15 period, as many as 5,793 persons were converted to Islam in the state. It included 2,729 women. Among those converted included 4,719 Hindus and 1,704 Christians.
The recent mysterious disappearance of 22 persons, mainly youths, from the state and suspicions that they were recruited to IS had brought the religious conversions to limelight.
Mr Thomas said that a corruption chain involving several links and nodes, some of whom were public servants, and substantial public money or public resources were likely to be involved.
The official also said that abuse of power by omissions or commissions to obtain pecuniary gains to someone, involved directly or indirectly in conversions, can be construed as against public interest.
He said the main conversions happening in Kerala are of people to Christianity, Hinduism and to Islam.
“If the conversion is by force, it will be treated as a crime and if it is by offering money, it will be treated as an offence of corruption and we will probe it. All these things are on my radar,” Mr Thomas said.
The VACB director was replying to a question on complaints over conversion of some Hindu and Christian youth to Islam recently before they went missing and are suspected to have joined the Islamic State.