Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday alleged that illegal religious conversions are part of a “calculated conspiracy” aimed at weakening the country’s identity and breaking its social fabric.
Speaking at the flagging-off ceremony of the Shri Tegh Bahadur Sandesh Yatra, the CM cited the recent Balrampur case where police claimed to have uncovered a large-scale conversion racket allegedly backed by foreign funding.
“Over ₹100 crore in suspicious transactions were found across 40 bank accounts,” Yogi said, adding that there were “pre-determined rates for conversion.” He described the issue as a threat to India’s economic and social security.
Without naming any community, Yogi said marginalised groups, especially Scheduled Castes, were being lured or coerced to change their religion. “These acts are not just illegal—they’re an attack on our constitutional values of social equality,” he said.
Yogi also linked the issue to historical struggles, referring to the 350th martyrdom year of Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur. “In the face of Mughal tyranny under Aurangzeb, Guru Tegh Bahadur chose martyrdom over compromise. His sacrifice reminds us to remain firm against oppression,” he said.
The Sandesh Yatra began in Lucknow and will travel through Kanpur, Etawah, and Agra before ending in Delhi at Sheeshganj Gurdwara, the site of Guru Tegh Bahadur’s martyrdom.
Calling for Hindu-Sikh unity, Yogi warned of past and ongoing efforts to create rifts between the two communities. “We must remain alert and united,” he said. “Shaheedi Diwas is a time to honour that legacy and ensure no one is ever forced to abandon their religion.”
