Mangaluru:
A Muslim BJP leader in Mangaluru (Mangalore), facing threat over a rumour that he has converted to Hinduism for power and money, has approached police for a probe into the matter and sought security.
BJP Minorities Morcha state Vice President Rahim Uchil has said "certain people" in the city were threatening him on the basis of a "false news" that he has become a Hindu.
He said several posts in the social media, including one on the Facebook page of 'Mangalore Muslims,' have cropped up, alleging that he has converted to Hinduism in the presence of Pejawar Math chief Vishweshateertha Swamiji recently.
Denying the conversion of faith, he told reporters in Mangalore that the Swamiji had presented a shawl and prasadam to him when he had met him last and he had posted the photograph of the event on his Facebook page.
Maintaining that he has been fortunate to be associated with the Swamiji for the last 25 years, he said "some miscreants edited the pictures and spread the rumours that he had abandoned his religion for power and money."
A post in the page even said he bowed his head before the Swamiji in place of Allah, he said.
Rahim said he was a devout Muslim, performed prayers five times a day and fasting during Ramzan all these years, and he bowed his head before the Swamiji simply because he is elder to him.
"Our culture teaches us to respect the elders," he said.
He said a complaint has been submitted to the city police commissioner to enquire into the matter.
The Facebook page of 'Mangalore Muslims' was in the news recently when a series of the posts had come up on its wall against a Muslim girl from Shivamogga, Suhana Sayed, for singing a Hindu devotional song on a TV reality show.
