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Hardline Hindu groups came under fire yesterday after some 200 Christians were converted in Prime Minister’s Narendra Modi’s home state of Gujarat, amid increasing concern at the rightwing government’s perceived pro-Hindu tilt.
The radical Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP or World Hindu Council) said it converted Christian tribal people to their original Hindu faith in Gujarat late Saturday.
The mass event drew widespread criticism from Christian groups and Modi’s political opponents yesterday. They accused radical organisations linked to BJP, like the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), of forcing or enticing religious minorities to convert to Hinduism.
“Extreme rightwing is flexing its muscles. VHP/RSS through Hindutatva (“Hinduness”) ... rewriting history and economic policies,” Digvijay Singh, a leader of the opposition Congress Party, posted on Twitter early yesterday.
A Gujarat-based priest said he could not “accept that anyone who has been a Christian will convert to other religion by personal choice.”
“VHP is forcing people and luring them to convert their religion,” Father Dominic was quoted as saying by Zee News channel’s website.
Saturday’s mass ceremony took place in a tribal village 350km south of the state main city Ahmedabad.
It happened hours after the BJP and its ideological mentor RSS called for a new law to ban “forced religious conversions.”
“Over 200 people were asked to throw their religious pendants in a holy fire and were given new pendants with the image of Lord Rama,” Ajit Solanki, a Gujarat state VHP secretary, said.
Solanki however denied using any kind of force or monetary promises, maintaining that the conversions were voluntary.
The world’s most populous democracy is a secular country under the constitution and religious freedom is considered a fundamental right.
The issue of mass conversions has paralysed India’s parliament, with opposition lawmakers demanding Modi make a statement on earlier reports of poor Muslims being coerced into Hinduism.
A hardline group linked to the BJP was accused of converting some 50 slum-dwelling Muslim families about a week ago in the Taj Mahal city of Agra.
One of the converts said they were promised ration cards and other financial incentives if they switched religions.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said India was a “Hindu nation” where many Hindus had been forcibly converted to other religions.
“We will bring back those who have lost their way. They did not go on their own,” Bhagwat said in a speech late on Saturday. “They were lured into leaving.”
“We don’t want to convert anybody ... but then Hindus should also not be converted,” Bhagwat said, adding that those who do not support religious conversions should bring in a law against it.
Critics say Hindu hardline groups have become emboldened since the BJP was elected, promoting a Hindu-dominant agenda.
Modi, who spent his early years in the RSS, has made no comment on religious issues since becoming premier.
He was himself accused of failing to curb 2002 anti-Muslim riots that claimed at least 1,000 lives when he was chief minister of Gujarat.
He has always rejected the accusations and the Supreme Court found no evidence to prosecute him.
