https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2...ces-hinduism-critics-call-it-opportunism.html
Former Uttar Pradesh Shia waqf board chairman Waseem Rizvi denounced Islam as a “terrorist unit” while professing allegiance to Sanatan dharma. On Monday, Rizvi declared that he accepted Hinduism.
“There is no question of my having given up Islam as I had already been banished from it,” he said.
Rizvi’s conversion has been facilitated by Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati, the head priest of Ghaziabad’s Dasna Devi Temple in Ghaziabad. The temple made it to the news earlier this year when a 14-year-old Muslim boy was beaten up for entering the premises to drink water from a tap.
Saraswati said, “His (Rizvi) entry into Hinduism is very welcome. He has returned to his origins”.
Rizvi’s new name will be Jeetendra Narayan Singh Tyagi. It is a name of uncertain caste origins.
“Muslims have been misled into believing that Hinduism is a discriminatory religion on the basis of caste,” said Saraswati….
Rizvi’s political rise from a municipal corporator to chairmanship of the Shia waqf board, in a relatively short timespan is attributed to the proximity he cultivated with political powers of the day. He was once very close to Azam Khan, a founding member of the Samajwadi Party who has various charges, including that of recruitment to the state’s water works body against him.
Rizvi said his change of religion could not be termed a “conversion” as he was simply embracing the “oldest religion of the world.”
In 2018, Rizvi had been ‘excommunicated’ from Islam for not accepting a fatwa issued by a Shia cleric. He had then said no one could oust him from Islam, no matter how senior the cleric was.
His critics said his conversion was a matter of political opportunism as he wanted to escape the fallout of a numerous cases lodged against him for corruption during his tenure as the waqf board chairperson….
Criticism of Islam is not new to Rizvi. He had earlier this year, filed a PIL asking for removal of 26 verses from the Quran which he said promoted violence….
Former Uttar Pradesh Shia waqf board chairman Waseem Rizvi denounced Islam as a “terrorist unit” while professing allegiance to Sanatan dharma. On Monday, Rizvi declared that he accepted Hinduism.
“There is no question of my having given up Islam as I had already been banished from it,” he said.
Rizvi’s conversion has been facilitated by Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati, the head priest of Ghaziabad’s Dasna Devi Temple in Ghaziabad. The temple made it to the news earlier this year when a 14-year-old Muslim boy was beaten up for entering the premises to drink water from a tap.
Saraswati said, “His (Rizvi) entry into Hinduism is very welcome. He has returned to his origins”.
Rizvi’s new name will be Jeetendra Narayan Singh Tyagi. It is a name of uncertain caste origins.
“Muslims have been misled into believing that Hinduism is a discriminatory religion on the basis of caste,” said Saraswati….
Rizvi’s political rise from a municipal corporator to chairmanship of the Shia waqf board, in a relatively short timespan is attributed to the proximity he cultivated with political powers of the day. He was once very close to Azam Khan, a founding member of the Samajwadi Party who has various charges, including that of recruitment to the state’s water works body against him.
Rizvi said his change of religion could not be termed a “conversion” as he was simply embracing the “oldest religion of the world.”
In 2018, Rizvi had been ‘excommunicated’ from Islam for not accepting a fatwa issued by a Shia cleric. He had then said no one could oust him from Islam, no matter how senior the cleric was.
His critics said his conversion was a matter of political opportunism as he wanted to escape the fallout of a numerous cases lodged against him for corruption during his tenure as the waqf board chairperson….
Criticism of Islam is not new to Rizvi. He had earlier this year, filed a PIL asking for removal of 26 verses from the Quran which he said promoted violence….
