File photograph of Hindus being converted into Islam in Pakistan

JAISALMER: Over 500 minority Hindus, who were recently deported from India to Pakistan, have been allegedly converted to Islam , according to relatives of the deported Hindus in Jodhpur and nearby areas.

The mass conversion allegedly took place in Matali town of Hyderabad district in Sindh state of Pakistan on March 25, according to the relatives.

According to them, a large number of those who were converted include people from the Bhil community. Many Bhils had come to Jodhpur from Pakistan hoping to get Indian citizenship. But after waiting for 3-4 years, they were deported to Pakistan after the government refused to grant them citizenship.

Many had left for Pakistan by Thar Express on March 23. The relatives of these Hindus, residing in Jodhpur and nearby areas, have alleged that they were forcefully converted to Islam. In Lohawat town in Jodhpur district, Dalit and Hindu organizations held a protest against Pakistan and gave a memorandum to the district collector on Wednesday.

Those Hindus who returned to Pakistan on March 23 were deported as they who didn’t have proper documents.

During the protest in Lohawat, organizations demanded permanent citizenship for the remaining Pakistani Hindus in India.

According to information provided by these organisations, the deported Hindus were forcefully converted in a huge tent at Masha Allah Shadi Hall at Madrasa Akibia.

Seemant Lok Sangathan president Hindu Singh Sodha expressed concern over atrocities against Hindus. He said that it was very painful that forceful conversation was taking place in Pakistan. He alleged that two conversion meetings were held six months ago in Pakistan wherein 150 and 50 Hindus each were forcefully converted.

Last year in September, the high court bench in Jodhpur had taken suo motu cognisance of the issue of granting citizenship to Hindus from Pakistan and expressed annoyance at the slow pace of granting the same, Sodha claimed.

