NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party has said it does not support forceful religious conversions, distancing itself from a sensitive issue that has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties and hurt the government’s reform agenda.

Mr Modi has in recent weeks come under fire for being slow to rein in his hard-line affiliate groups that are allegedly trying to promote a Hindu-dominant agenda by luring Muslims and Christians to convert to Hinduism.

Critics say such groups have become more assertive since Mr Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept to power in May.

“BJP is not supportive of any forceful conversions,” party president Amit Shah said, adding that his party was supportive of bringing in an anti-conversion law.

India’s 1.2 billion people are predominantly Hindus, but the country has about 160 million Muslims and a small proportion of Christians.

Earlier this month, many Muslims complained they had been tricked into a conversion ceremony by Hindu groups who attracted them with promises of cheap government rations and voter identity cards. Indian police are investigating the case.

In another incident, a Hindu priest-turned-lawmaker of Mr Modi’s party planned a conversion ceremony on Christmas Day, but cancelled the event after the prime minister intervened.

Supporters define such events as a ‘homecoming’, saying families signing up for the ceremonies were originally Hindus.

Published in Dawn, December 21st, 2014