7 Shocking Instances Where Govt Welfare Schemes Were Used To Fund Illegal Activities In India

On 16 November 2024, the Delhi Police, investigating anal-Qaeda-inspired terror module,informed the Patiala House Court that terrorists had planned to misuse the PM-Kisan scheme, also known as the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, to raise funds for jihad. According to the police, individuals filled out forms for the scheme under the direction of terrorists, intending to channel the funds received from the government toward terror activities.

A report by The Indian Express also highlighted this revelation. Here is a list of 7 incidents between 2018 and 2024 where government funds and welfare schemes were exploited illegally, shedding light on systemic vulnerabilities targeted for nefarious activities.

Case 1: Al-Qaeda Terrorists Misused Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme Funds to Purchase Weapons

In November 2024, the Delhi Police, investigating anAl-Qaeda-inspired terror module,informed the Patiala House Court that the accused terrorists planned to misuse the PM-Kisan scheme to fund jihad. Two arrested suspects were beneficiaries of the scheme and allegedly provided money for arms purchases. Police are now identifying individuals who filled scheme forms on their behalf.

The probe, initiated after arrests on 22 August 2024 based on Central agency inputs, uncovered weapon training activities in Rajasthan’s Bhiwadi and illegal arms recovery. Eleven suspects, all from Ranchi villages, were arrested, including alleged module leader Dr Ishtiyaq Ahmad. Raids yielded firearms, ammunition, and ₹5.1 lakh.

The court allowed the eight accused six days of police custody to interrogate them further and identify others involved. Defence counsel claimed police framed the accused without evidence and alleged mistreatment in custody. Notably, under the PM-Kisan scheme, farmers receive ₹6,000 annually.

Case 2: Sign Language Interpreters Exploited Disabled Children For Religious Conversion

In September 2024, it was revealed that a nationwide illegal religious conversion racket, masterminded by Maulana Umar Gautam, exploited disabled children, particularly those with hearing impairments, using sign language interpreters. Irfan Sheikh, affiliated with the Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC) in Delhi, leveraged his position to target children for conversions at the Islamic Dawah Centre in Jamia Nagar. Other operatives, including medical students, professionals like Kunal Chaudhary, and networks like the Revert, Rehab, and Dawah WhatsApp group, spread the operation across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, Bihar, and Haryana.

The syndicate used organizations like the Waliullah Trust to mask its activities, with key figures such as Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui converting thousands to promote social harmony. Funds were channelled through businesses, while entities like the Global Peace Center aided operations.

Case 3: Tribal Woman Converted for Marriage Using Government Scheme In Chhattisgarh

In May 2023, a controversy in Chhattisgarh erupted after a Hindu tribal woman, Basanti, was married to a Muslim man, Haroon, in a conversion-nikah ceremony organized under the Chief Minister Kanya Vivah Scheme. The mass wedding, held on 13 March 2023 in Surajpur district, provided ₹25,000 in government assistance to brides. Basanti’s father, Devnarayan Uikey, alleged she was brainwashed into the marriage without his knowledge and filed a police complaint declaring the wedding fraudulent and demanding its annulment. Out of 85 couples in the ceremony, Basanti and Haroon were the only pair married under Islamic rituals, presided over by a cleric, while others followed Hindu customs. Uikey claimed the marriage was unacceptable, citing concerns over targeted conversions and political exploitation, such as using ST certificates for reserved elections.

Case 4: Central Website Hacked, Scholarships Tampered With

In December 2018, Babul Hussain, a data entry operator from Uttar Dinajpur district in West Bengal, was arrested by Kerala police for hacking a National Informatics Centre (NIC) website and tampering with the beneficiary list for the Post-Matric Central Scholarships for Minorities. Hussain allegedly siphoned off ₹5 crore by uploading fake scholarship applications. The issue came to light when deserving students complained of not receiving their scholarships. Kerala police traced Hussain’s activities with the help of local authorities and seized his laptop and mobile phones, though no further evidence was found.

Case 5: Christian Missionaries Exploit Government Rice Scheme For Conversions In Chhattisgarh

Earlier this month (November 2024, it was revealed that in Chhattisgarh, Christian missionaries have been exploiting government rice schemes, such as the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) and the state’s Annapurna Yojana, to fund religious conversions. The missionaries initiated a scheme calledEk Muthi Chawal Yojana,where each family is asked to donate a handful of rice daily. This rice is then collected in large quantities, and sold in the open market for ₹25-30 per kg, generating an estimated annual income of over ₹100 crore for the missionaries. This practice is particularly prevalent in districts like Jashpur, where a significant portion of the population has converted to Christianity. With the introduction of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), which limits foreign funding for missionaries, the rice collection scheme has become a crucial source of income.

Case 6: Church Built With Govt Fund In Odisha

In August 2024, a Dainik Bhaskar report revealed that government funds are being misused in Odisha to construct and renovate churches, particularly under the Chief Minister’s Special Assistance Scheme. In 2023-24, a church in Balishankara, Sundargarh, was renovated at a cost of ₹4 lakh using government money. This church renovation is part of a broader strategy Christian missionaries use to lure individuals into converting to Christianity. In villages, free health camps are organized, where diseases aretreated,and conversions are promoted in the name of treatment. The funds meant for public welfare are being diverted for religious purposes, facilitating a conversion network across multiple states, including Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh.

Case 7: House Allotted Under PM AWAS Yojana Converted To Church In Chhattisgarh

In February 2024, in Chhattisgarh’s Bemetara district, over 25 members of the tribal community converted to Christianity in a mass conversion that occurred in houses built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY). The converted individuals, mostly from the Gond community, were reportedly promised better healthcare and economic benefits in exchange for their conversion. These families, who previously attended distant churches, started gathering for daily prayers at a house built under the PMAY, which was converted into a church with Christian symbols. Hindu organizations raised concerns, claiming that the conversions were induced by allurement, which is illegal. Some converted individuals cited improvements in their health, income, and personal lives. Hindu organizations have demanded action, including sealing the houses marked with Christian symbols.

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