Shamli: Mohammad Rashid is 13 years old when his father entered Islam.
The Banjara community in Kandla, who belonged to him, always struggled to find the land to bury him to die.
The locals say conversion to Islam looks like one way out and, about 12 years ago, the community did it.
But for years, land remained rare.
Now, with the promise of other land for their deaths, at least 18 Banjara Muslims have entered Hinduism.
And RSS plans to bring 200 people left in the “back to the Hindu fold” area.
“People at the local temple promise US land for burial,” said Rashid, 25, who is now Vikas Kumar.
“I remember how we would celebrate Holi and Diwali when I was little.
Then, my father, Umar Ahmad, decided to enter Islam …
I could make my own decisions now.” So, on August 4, Rashid and 13 family members turned into Hinduism at the “Shuddhi” ceremony at the Surajkund Temple.
It includes Rashid Manju Bano’s wife and four of their children.
Rashid’s brothers and sisters and Deepak also joined, along with their wives and children (two fair children and one Deepak), like their three sisters and parents.
The priest who performed rituals, Yashveer Maharaj, said, “We have visited them regularly and convinced them to return to Hindu folds.” However, Shamli DM Jasjeet Kaur said that, technically, conversion hasn’t been through.
He added, “They want a change in the name of Muslims to Hindu.
The legal formality related to the conversion has not occurred.” Manju Bano, who is now Manju Devi, added, “My husband came across the people from the temple.
They assured us to embrace Hinduism.
But I am worried where we will get the funeral land.
“At Rai Zadgan in Kandlala, who belonged to the family, all Banjara Muslims were packed to Mohalla Margin.
This is a desert, swamp and dirty, the path which narrows is getting farther away.
People are laborers, most of them do not slip.
The Banjara community, identified as a tribe scheduled above, was originally a group of traders who would be associated with nomadic lifestyles.
In addition to many Hindu sect, Banjara also has two Muslim sects – Turkia and Mukeri – who returned to at least the 17th century.
After the “conversion” of the Rashid family, the local RSS unit has a larger plan.
“We will get all 200 strange people in Rai Zadgan to return to Hinduism …
we have written to the government to give them a small piece of land,” said Rikki local RSS official.
BJP member Deamor Deepak Saini wants a bigger intervention: “While we tried to get a plot of land, we also tried to get it to the mainstream.
We want them to go by Hindu and cremating their deaths.”