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In response
to Hindu Coercion no different from
Christian by
Pravin Sabnis
Not opposed to Conversion,
only
proselytizing
Sandip Heble
I have
never opposed voluntary conversions or conversions by conviction (what
Samir Kelekar refers to as fundamental right). I too believe that every
Indian has the right to convert to whichever religion he finds attractive.
If human beings are not treated as human beings and would therefore like
to convert by their own conviction, if certain castes have been denied
even their basic fundamental rights to worship in temples, if certain
sections of society are treated as untouchables or outcastes, nobody
should deny them their rights to convert.
What I am opposed to are the proselytizing activities being carried out by
the Christian missionaries that often lead to spreading discord between
communities. Much propaganda is made that the Constitution of India
permits such "conversion activities" which is largely false. This matter
has been settled in the Supreme Court as far as back as 1977, when the
challenge by the Christian missionaries against the Madhya Pradesh bill to
regulate conversion was dismissed and the Supreme Court ruled that the
right to propagate does not include right to convert.
There is no doubt that the Constitution gives freedom to propagate one’s
religion. But no right in a civilised society is absolute, and this
freedom is subject to ‘public order, morality, health and other essential
provisions’. Hence, this right cannot impinge on the duty towards the
society. Most of the religions have their own non-verifiable beliefs and
every person has the freedom to pursue his or her own religion. Hindus,
Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains, Zoroastrians and many others are largely tolerant
in the sense that they give give others the freedom to practise their
religion whether they agree with the others' tenets or not. The problems
arise when Christians believe that their own non-verifiable beliefs are
true whereas all other non-verifiable beliefs are false. But while they
are free to believe whatever they want, even if irrational or
unscientific, trouble starts when the Christian missionaries intrude in
the religious lives of people of other religion. If a Christian
missionary, whilst propagating his own religion, comes to me and calls me
a sinner, he is denigrating my own religion and my own belief.
Propagation of religion does not mean that our Country is converted into a
"WWF type of Arena" with religions being allowed to denigrate one another.
There can be no peace so long as one religion gives offence to other and
calls their Gods false and "Shaitans". This will perhaps be beyond the
understanding of atheists and many Christians (despite the fact that they
feel hurt when something is said to their God), but Hindus revere their
Gods and feel hurt when their own Gods are abused, displayed on toilet
papers, beer bottles, urinated upon or broken into pieces. Such an
aggressive intrusion into ones' religious life therefore creates a deep
wound, and every time this wound hurts a martyr is created , a Dara Singh
is born.
The simile Pravin Sabnis has tried to present between Hindus and
Christians by quoting groups like Sanatan is rather a distorted way of
presenting facts. The presence of miniscule organisations like Sanatan or
Sadhus who consume dope will not change the fundamentals of the Hindu
religion, which are largely wound on the principles of tolerance.
Organised conversions are carried out only by the religions of exclusivity
and especially by the Christians. No such conversions are carried out by
the Hindus. Many Hindus revere Buddha, and if they consider Buddha as an
avtaar of Vishnu, it is largely the tolerance of Hinduism and not a
"blot".
To live together in peace thus calls for a great deal of concerted
efforts, and a sensitivity, towards each other's feelings. Indian
politicians will thus have to act NOW, and make all such conversion
activities a criminal offence.
Sandip Heble
July 10, 2002
*courtesy Navhind
Times, Goa, India: Cybervoices*
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