Sunday, December 21, 2014

VHP conducts ‘ghar wapsi’ of 100 Christian tribals, later claims 900 reconverted


Stepping up its ‘ghar wapsi’ campaign to mark its golden jubilee Saturday, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad “officially brought back to the Hindu fold” some 100 Christian tribals who had “embraced Hinduism earlier” in south Gujarat.

VHP activists later claimed as many as 900 had been “reconverted”.

The ‘ghar wapsi’ ceremony was conducted this afternoon at Arnai, a village in Kaprada taluka of Valsad district.

VHP members and some religious leaders watched as tribals from six villages were taken to a hot spring stream, made to take a dip. They were then made to sit for a ‘havan’ and told to throw rosaries into the fire as a confirmation of quitting Christianity. Religious leaders sprinkled ‘Gangajal’ on them for “purification”.

“This is a homecoming,” announced ‘kathakar’ (story teller) Praful Shukla who performed the rituals. “Hindustan Hindu ka desh aur Hindu ka desh hi rahega (Hindustan is a country of Hindus and will remain so),” Shukla told the gathering. He said those “reconverted” had embraced Hinduism a couple of years ago and the Saturday event was their “official entry” into Hinduism again.

Rankaben Somabhai Kadat, one of the “reconverted” told The Sunday Express: “I wanted to return to Hinduism. I had converted to Christianity after my brother fell ill and went to a ‘father’ (Christian priest) for treatment. He was cured and he became a Christian. My brother and his children are Christians even today. But I decided to become a Hindu again. Nobody forced me do so.”

Gujarat VHP chief Kaushik Mehta said the Arnai event had “nothing to do with religious conversion” and was “a homecoming” for which people had “volunteered without greed”.

“Yeh ghar wapsi ka karyakram hai, dharm parivartan ka nahin. Jo log lobh aur bhay se doosare dharm me chale gaye the, wo wapis aa gaye hain. Ye log mukhyadhara me aa rahe hain (It is a homecoming event, not religious conversion. Those who were lured by money or intimidated to convert have returned. These people are coming back into the mainstream),” Mehta said.

Dharmendra Bhavani, chief of Dharm Prasar Vibhag of the VHP in Gujarat, claimed 170 families who had embraced Christianity were “reconverted” into Hinduism. “The event should not be read as dharm parivartan (religious conversion). These people wanted to return to Hinduism, the religion of their ancestors. For them, it is ghar wapsi,” he said. 

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VHP claims 're-conversion' of 200 Christians in Gujarat, Congress says it's unfortunate

Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) "re-converted" over 200 tribal Christians to Hinduism on Saturday by holding rituals at Aranai village in Valsad district in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled Gujarat, claimed a leader of the outfit.

The right-wing group also said the re-conversion was "voluntary" and not by force.

"As part of the ongoing 'ghar-wapsi' programme, VHP today (Saturday) re-converted 225 people from Christian community and took them back into Hindu religion," said Valsad district VHP chief Natu Patel.

He said VHP organised a 'Maha Yagnya' (ritual of the sacred fire) for "purification" of the tribals before taking them back in Hindu-fold and also gave each of them a copy of Bhagwad Gita.

Another VHP worker, Ashok Sharma, said around 3,000 people had gathered at the 'ghar-wapsi' programme in Valsad.

"VHP greeted around 225 people back in their own religion in Valsad. We have not forced them, they came on their own wish," Sharma said.

Congress leader Rashid Alvi said on Sunday that such acts conducted by right-wing outfits only created a bad impression about India across the world.

"This is totally unfortunate whatever is happening. In the world, India had a different image of having people practising various religious beliefs, speaking different languages -- based on which the country was built... These actions will only create bad impression about the country," Alvi told ANI.

He also said that if such re-conversion happened through coercion or inducement then it was a clear violation of law.

"Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and others are trying to destroy the country. If these people have been converted by coercion or inducement then it is a clear violation of law. But then what kind of image of India will be in the world," he added.

The incident came against the backdrop of a raging debate over such programmes being organised by Sangh Parivar groups in various parts of the country.

A controversy had erupted early this month when a right wing group had organised a 'ghar-wapsi' drive wherein it reportedly converted about 100 people from a minority community in Agra in Uttar Pradesh.

The incident had created a ruckus in the Rajya Sabha, with the Opposition demanding a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A similar incident was also reported from BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh where a party MP had claimed 39 tribal Christians were re-converted to Hinduism in Maoist-hit Bastar district in October this year.

In its response to the Opposition over the conversion issue, the BJP has demanded bringing of anti-conversion law.


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Coverage by Zee News. Link Here


Ahmedabad: The Opposition on Sunday sharpened its attack on Hindu outfit Vishwa Hindu Parishad which claimed to have reconverted over 200 Christian families to Hinduism yesterday in Gujarat's Valsad district.
Accusing VHP of carrying out forceful conversion, Congress senior leader Digvijay Singh said, “Personally I've no problem on Anti Conversion Law as VHP and Bajrang Dal are doing the same. Conversion by force and inducement.”

Criticising the crusade, Father Dominic told Zee News that the VHP is forcefully converting people.

“I don't 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. I've got an information that in Bihar people were threatened with dire consequences if they do not convert. These people were told that they will be ostracized if they would refuse to accept Hinduism,” he said.
CPI(M) leader, D Raja also backed the Opposition voice and said, "India is not a Hindu Rashtra, but a democratic republic.”
Meanwhile, Gujarat government spokesperson Nitin Patel said that they had the information about several families willing to convert to Hinduism.
“Gujarat government has nothing to do with it. The people converted willingly. However, if their will be any complaint regarding forceful conversion then we will take action,” he said.
Clearing BJP's stand on conversion issue, party leader Shahnawaz Hussain told ANI that the party is against forcefull conversion, but causing disruption in House won't get Opposition anywhere.
“If Opposition is really concerned, they should support the government for anti-conversion bill,” said Hussain.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Saturday called for an anti conversion bill in Parliament. “Bring law against conversion in Parliament if you don't like conversion,” Bhagwat was quoted as saying by PTI.
After organising its 'Ghar Vapsi' programme, the right-wing outfit, VHP, yesterday said the re-conversion was "voluntary" and not by force.
"As part of the ongoing 'Ghar-Vaapsi' programme, VHP today re-converted 225 people from Christian community and took them back into Hindu religion," said Valsad district VHP chief Natu Patel.
He said VHP organised a 'Maha Yagnya' (ritual of the sacred fire) for "purification" of the tribals before taking them back in Hindu-fold and also gave each of them a copy of Bhagwad Gita.
Another VHP worker, Ashok Sharma, said around 3,000 people had gathered at the 'Ghar-Vaapsi' programme in Valsad, which culminated on Saturday.
(With Agency inputs)

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