More than 800 Valmikis ‘converted’ to Islam on Tuesday in a bid to save their houses from demolition in Rampur.
Although no Muslim clerics were allowed to carry out the conversion rites, the Valmikis donned skull caps to show that they have converted to Islam.
According to the Valmikis, the state civic authorities had notified them that their houses would be demolished for setting up a shopping mall in that place.
The state government denied this and had issued a press release stating that it had no plans of demolishing any illegally constructed structures.
Rampur district magistrate Chandra Prakash Tripathi refused to comment on the ‘conversion’.
The Valmikis, who have been protesting against the alleged demolition of their houses in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, had threatened the government that they would embrace Islam if their plea goes unheard.
According to the Valmikis, demolition of their houses would pave the way for building a shopping mall which is said to have the backing of UP minister and Rampur strongman Azam Khan.
Picture for representation only.
