Wasim Rizvi, ex-chairman of Shia Waqf Board in UP, converts to Hinduism
Wasim Rizvi will be associated with the Tyagi community after being converted to Hinduism. His new name will be Jitendra Narayan Singh Tyagi. He had courted controversy last month after releasing a book on the Prophet Muhammad.
The former chairman of Uttar Pradesh Shia Waqf Board, Wasim Rizvi, converted to Hinduism (also known as Sanatan Dharma) on Monday. He offered milk on the Shiva Linga installed at Dasna Devi temple as part of the ritual, Hindustan Times’ sister publication Livehindustan reported.
The ceremony took place at 10.30 am, in the presence of the chief priest of Dasna Devi temple Narsinghanand Saraswati, Livehindustan said. Vedic hymns were chanted as Rizvi quit Islam and entered Hinduism after a yagna.
He will be associated with the Tyagi community. His new name will be Jitendra Narayan Singh Tyagi.
After the ceremony, Rizvi called the Sanatan Dharma as world’s purest religion. He added that he chose the holy day of December 6 to convert to Hinduism as on this day, the Babari mosque was demolished in 1992.
“I will work for Hinduism from today. The votes of Muslims never go to any party. They only cast their votes to defeat Hindus,” Livehindustan quoted Rizvi as saying.
Rizvi was in the eye of the storm after releasing a book title ‘Muhammad’ last month. Many clerics in Uttar Pradesh condemned the cover of the book that portrays a man with a semi-naked woman. They also accused Rizvi of making objectionable comments against Prophet Muhammad.
Some of the religious organisations, including the All-India Shia Personal Law Board (AISPLB), served notices on him, while a few approached the UP government seeking an FIR in the matter.
The book was released on November 4 at Dasna Devi temple at Ghaziabad in the presence of Narsinghanand Saraswati, but the issue snowballed on November 15, after Rizvi posted the cover page image and buy link of the book on his Facebook page.
Apart from Shia Muslims, Sunni Muslims too opposed the book.
Wasim Rizvi later issued a statement, saying he was receiving life threats for writing the book and challenging 26 verses from the Quran.
