Originally posted 2020-07-09 19:22:06.
Translated by the editorial staff
The interviewer: You embraced Islam then you were reconverted to Hinduism again which is called Gharwapsi. Were the both decisions by your own or was there some social pressure or pressure of people?
Maniram Ji: We went to the office of the district for the reversion certificate, or permission of conversion to Islam, but there was a large number of RSS and Bajrang Dal who surrounded us and stopped us.
The interviewer: Have you changed your religion by your own decision? You have changed your religion two times.
Qasim: Please, madam! Listen to me, I converted to Islam by my own choice, we converted to Islam with our whole family, we accepted Islam with our freedom, there was no pressure, allurement nor incitement.
When we accepted Islam, there was news in the news paper, and we were instructed to seek permission for it from the district collocterate.
The interviewer: According to the law of Madhya Pradesh.
Qasim: yes, as we are converting to Islam, when we went to obtain the permission letter, there were a lot of people, RSS and media reporters, they surrounded us and snatched the permission letter from our hands and tore it. I am going to tell you what happened there, they surrounded us and said: “You are not allowed to do that in India; you have to be Hindu here.” I told them that there was neither material allurement, nor any pressure, I accepted Islam by my own choice. They argued that you have received money for the conversion. Madam, we have received nothing, there was neither any allurement nor pressure.
The interviewer: Then why have you changed your religion? I am asking you, Maniram Ji! You embraced Islam then you have returned to Hinduism again, why?
Maniram Ji: This lad was the first, who reverted to Islam among us, then we were taught about the Islamic teachings and we understood those teachings until we became satisfied with Islam then we declared Islam.
The interviewer: What happened after that? Madam! As I am telling that we were at the district collocterate, then we were transformed by police from police station to a jungle where we were threatened and we were beaten, after that we were transformed on September 3rd to the police station again, where all people were gathered who threatened us.