Row over conversion, reconversion :: Conversion : Personal choice
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: December 23, 2014 -

The row kicked up over the ‘reconversion’ of over 200 people into Hinduism is an indication that secularism is alive and kicking in India.

Something unimaginable in a theocratic country and this is one point which gives hope to the people of India.

Per se there should be nothing wrong in religious conversion, but when this same exercise is seen as enjoying State patronage then it is time to draw the line.

A point which the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi should always bear in mind.

This is where the BJP Government and a Prime Minister like Narendra Modi need to study the finer nuances of Ashok Singhal’s statement ‘Hindus have come back to power in Delhi after Rajput king Prithiviraj Chauhan lost it in the 12th century.’

What was Singhal exactly trying to say ? Is it right to equate the victory of the BJP at the hustings as ‘Hindus coming to power at Delhi ?’

As the name itself suggests, the position of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad vis-a-vis Hinduism and by extension Ashok Singhal need not be elaborated here, but in one statement it should be clear that there are elements out there who will not stop short of trying to identify the BJP led Government with Hinduism.

This is something which will not augur well for the BJP led Government as well as for the Prime Minister himself.

Conversion or reconversion should be a personal choice but what happened at Gujarat the other day appeared like the exercise had the blessings of the Government and this is something which should be disowned.

As the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi should use all the resources within his reach to distance the Government from the ‘reconversion’ exercise of over 200 people to Hinduism.

The Delhi Catholic Archdiocese was bang on target when it stated that Narendra Modi should not forget that he is the Prime Minister of Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, Jews and everybody, not just the RSS.

A valid point which should not get lost on anyone, particularly the Prime Minister.

Time for the BJP and particularly the Prime Minister to come to terms with the point that it is not the question of conversion or reconversion alone that has to be tackled but also about the association with right wing organisations such as the VHP.

True the Prime Minister and numerous big wigs of the present BJP led Government may have had backgrounds in the RSS but it would not be good for the country to identify the country with one particular religion.

Hinduism and BJPsm are different. A gross error it would be to treat them as one.

Moreover it would dilute the basic qualities of Hinduism known the world over for its tolerance.

Rhetorics do not suit the finer aspects of Hinduism. And moreover conversion and reconversion will not add to the lofty teachings of Hinduism but only erode its noble principles.