AIMTCC welcomes UP govt's decision of SIT formation to probe religious conversion against officer
Sep 28, 2021
Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], September 28 : All India Math Temple Coordination Committee (AIMTCC) on Tuesday welcomed the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe into the videos showing the former IAS officer Iftikharuddin allegedly indulging in religious conversion of people.
"Bhupesh Avasthi, the National Vice President of All India Math Temple Coordination Committee (AIMTCC) has welcomed and thanked the Chief Minister for ordering the SIT after taking cognizance of the videos of Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) Chairman and Former Divisional Commissioner Kanpur indulging in religious conversion," reads the letter from the committee.
Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate videos purportedly showing Indian Administrative Service (IAS) official Mohammad Iftikharuddin carrying out propaganda against Hinduism when he was commissioner in Kanpur.
The SIT will submit its report within 7 days, the Home Department said.
The committee has demanded in the letter that the accused should be suspended from his services so the investigation is not affected.
The patron saint of the committee, revered saint Arun Chaitanya Puri, has demanded that the officers spreading hate in the society be identified. "During the course of the investigation, it must be checked that which people were converted by Iftikharuddin," added the letter.
On Monday, the National Vice President of Math Mandir Coordination Committee Bhupesh Awasthi, released videos of religious programmes in which he alleged that Iftikharuddin, who is presently serving as the Chairman of Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation is telling people the benefits of adopting Islam as a religion.
The purported videos also feature a religious leader sitting beside the IAS officer.
In another video, IAS Iftikharuddin is seen sitting on the ground when a Muslim speaker is purportedly giving radical lessons at his official residence.
After the videos surfaced, Kanpur Police Commissioner Aseem Arun gave the responsibility of investigating the entire matter to Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Somendra Meena.
