India: Dalit Leader Condemns Arrest of Muslim Scholar Under Anti-Conversion Law

India: Dalit Leader Condemns Arrest of Muslim Scholar Under Anti-Conversion Law
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Prominent Dalit leader and Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Azad has condemned the arrest of Maulana Shabbir Ahmad, manager of Alfarooq Inter College, under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020, Maktoob Media reported. The arrest follows a complaint from 2020 alleging forced religious conversion, resurfaced after four years by Akhand Pratap Singh, who was previously denied a job at the college.

Azad called the arrest a “worrying precedent,” accusing the UP government of political vendetta and misuse of the law to harass a respected educator known for promoting communal harmony. He demanded a fresh, impartial investigation by the DIG Basti and urged the government to stay the arrest pending inquiry.

Teachers at the college have dismissed the allegations as baseless. The incident has reignited debates over the application of anti-conversion laws in Uttar Pradesh, with critics highlighting concerns over administrative bias and targeting minorities.