Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said there are "individuals among us" who are secretly carrying out "anti-national" religious conversions and asked youngsters to be vigilant to put an end to it.
Adityanath said this while addressing a special session on the closing day of the three-day 70th National Convention of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) held at the Deendayal Upadhyay Gorakhpur University campus.
Commending the efforts of Dipesh Nair, co-founder of NGO Teach and recipient of the Prof. Yashwantrao Kelkar Award, the chief minister shared an incident related to "anti-national" religious conversions involving deaf-and-mute children.
He recounted that in 2019, following the arrest of two men under false identities for plotting the killing of a seer at a temple, a thorough probe revealed their ties to a religious preacher associated with Batla House in Delhi.
Further probe uncovered that their ancestors had converted to Islam three generations ago, he said.
Given the significance of the Batla House connection, especially after Delhi Police Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma was killed in an encounter with terrorists there in 2008, the probe was intensified.
The investigation revealed that a major racket was being run from the Batla House area in the national capital, targeting deaf-and-mute children for religious conversion, Adityanath said.
Similar cases were uncovered in Gurugram and Kanpur, where this conversion network had affected 500 families, he added.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader noted that in this case, the court sentenced seven people, including three key figures responsible for the conversions, to life imprisonment.
Recounting this incident, Adityanath said, "There are individuals among us who are secretly carrying out anti-national conversions." He described such activities as the "business of service", emphasising that "it is not only the responsibility of the government or any organisation, but of every vigilant citizen to put an end to it".
Referring to the ABVP's motto -- "Gyan, Sheel, Ekta (knowledge, modesty, unity)" -- the chief minister said no country in the world matches India's zeal for knowledge. It is said in the Bhagavad Gita that there is no other purifier in the world like knowledge. To become knowledgeable, the tradition of "rishis" who carried knowledge has been respected here, he added.
"Youngsters should embrace science and technology to be able to navigate this dynamic era effectively. There is a need to harmonise knowledge and virtue with an awareness of the rapid advancements in science and technology. Failure to adapt could result in significant challenges and hardships," Adityanath said.
He urged students to keep abreast of the times, adapting to technological advancements as the flow of time waits for none. Reflecting on the opposition to computerisation in the 1990s, the chief minister pointed out that while it was once resisted, today we live in an era dominated by e-offices and smartphones.
Technologies like electricity, telephone, television, airplanes, microwave ovens, the internet, GPS and social media are part of our daily lives now, he noted.
Adityanath said youngsters willing to serve the society and country can use technology to strengthen both.
He cautioned them against becoming a victim of demonic mentality.
Adityanath emphasised that technology becomes a tool for the public and national welfare in the hands of the virtuous. However, he added that in the hands of "negative people", it becomes a weapon to spread terror and unleash destructive forces.
Citing the example of atomic power, he explained that when used properly, it can provide clean, affordable energy, but its misuse can lead to devastating destruction through atomic bombs.
"By prioritising 'rashtradharma is supreme', we can pave the way for the welfare of humanity," Adityanath said.
Imparting the mantra of national duty to youngsters, the chief minister also outlined the way to overcome obstacles in its path. He emphasised that the challenges facing national duty can only be met through unity.
Adityanath highlighted the power of youth energy through examples from both the mythological and revolutionary eras.
The chief minister said the ABVP is the world's largest youth organisation and a powerful platform that channels youth energy in the right direction.
Citing the provision of 4 per cent reservation for the differently-abled and the recognition of 16 categories of disabilities under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, Adityanath highlighted that "Divyangjan" are making remarkable progress in every field today.
He emphasised that talent is not determined by caste, opinion or religion and added that even if god has bestowed a deficiency on someone, he has compensated for it in other ways.
The programme was presided over by ABVP national president Prof. Rajsharan Shahi.
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