340 local Christians were "reconverted" to Hinduism by Hindu militants.
The Christians, mostly tribals and ‘Dalits’, the lowest caste in India’s ancient system of Hinduism, were "reconverted" Sunday, April 9, during a three-day Hindu gathering aimed at stopping the spread of Christianity in India, organizers said.
The leader of the nationalist Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) or ‘World Hindu Council’ suggested that Christian missionaries were to blame for disturbing peace.
"Dubious conversions have been disturbing peace in the country and the menace should be arrested soon," the VHP official, Ashok Singhal, reportedly said at the ceremony in the village of Chakapad in Orissa’s Kandhamal district, around 265 kilometers (160 miles) from the state capital Bhubaneswar.
CONTROVERSIAL LAW
Under the controversial Orissa Freedom of Religion Act conversions require prior permission from local police and district magistrates.
Indian media said at least 342 or 344 people were "reconverted" to Hinduism amid elaborate rituals that included cries of ‘Jai Shri Ram’, the blowing of conch shells and reciting Hindu verses, as police watched on a distance without intervening.
Singhal described the ceremony as a "homecoming" for the tribals. "You don’t call it conversion when a person strays for a while and finally decides to return home," he was quoted as saying in India’s The Telegraph newspaper.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), another nationalist group, had reportedly set a target of reconverting 10,000 people, but that number was apparently lowered under media pressure.
RECONVERSION RALLY
The reconversion rally came as governments in an increasing number of states are adopting anti-conversion laws or under pressure to introduce this kind of legislation. Hindu groups have expressed their frustration of the spread of Christianity among Dalits and other impoverished groups in India.
Before the three day-event in Orissa began, Rajnath Singh, chairman of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), India’s largest political Hindu party, reportedly accused “Christian missionaries convert people in the name of their social service." He said "there can be no crueler joke than using money or service to deceive the poor."
In published remarks the BJP warned that “conversions comprise the greatest danger" to India’s society. "we cannot allow the demographic profile of the country to be changed. We will not let Hindus become a minority, as somebody has said they would be by 2060."
He added that "as long as the BJP is on the political scene, it will fight such attempts tooth and nail”.
CHRISTIAN MISSIONARIES
AsiaNews, a Catholic oriented news website said he confirmed that he had "asked all leaders to ensure anti-conversion laws were adopted in all our states, to destroy the plans of Christian missionaries."
The All India Christian Council and other advocacy groups and church leaders have expressed concern over the event and what they see as the bias of authorities towards Christians. (With BosNewsLife Research and reports from India).
