Lucknow: The Dharm Jagran Samiti that had planned mass religious conversions in Aligarh on December 25 has called off its programme.

In a late-night decision on Tuesday in Delhi, the Samiti announced that ‘the proposed Ghar Waapsi’ ceremony planned for December 25 has been called off'. The Aligarh administration had already banned the event by imposing prohibitory orders in the district.

The authorities of the Maheshwar Inter College where the proposed event was to be held also backed out. “The permission given was conditional. We were told it was some national security function and Hindu Sammelan was to be held and certainly not a conversion or ‘home-coming’ ceremony,” said principal Tirkha Singh.

The decision apparently comes after the top BJP leadership disapproved of the programme that had led to a major controversy. BJP MPs who were vocal in their support for religious conversions were also ticked off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday who asked them not to cross their limits.

The BJP had also distanced itself from the programme and BJP district president Devraj Singh had said that the party was not organising the programme. Satya Prakash Nauman, district president, Dharm Jagran Samiti in Aligarh, refused to tell the reason behind the cancellation.

Meanwhile, Aligarh district magistrate Abhishek Prakash, while welcoming the decision of the outfit, has made it clear that all precautionary measures will remain in place till Christmas.

“The organisers of this program had neither sought permission for holding this programme nor have they given anything in writing regarding its cancellation. We are therefore maintaining our vigilance,” he said.