Seminar on ban on conversion in Bengaluru

Proselytisation is a violence on human dignity - Danie Periera

"WE are born in Bharat and with due regards to my elders and the society I like to declare that I am a Hindu Christian. The organisations, individuals, group of evangelists, trusts or the missionaries which are converting the Hindus to Christianity through illegal and unfair means are nothing but traitors, as they are weakening the very back bone of this country," said Shri Danie Periera, a converted Christian who runs educational institutions in Karnataka. He was speaking at a seminar organised by Varthamana in Bengaluru on March 11 on the topic of ‘Ban on Conversions - Problems and Possible Solutions’.

Raising his voice against conversion, he said the Christian missionaries are using foreign funds for conversions. "I endorse the words of the great saints that this land is my mother and I am her child," he said. He said those who are indulging in conversions can go to any extent to take advantage of the situation.

Supreme Court advocate Shri Sathish Chandra said Christian missionaries normally come up with three points to counter the allegations on conversion-right to propagate Christianity under Article 25(2), percentage of Christians is stagnant at 2.8 per cent, and Christians are serving the society by running schools, colleges, orphanages, hospitals, etc, so they should not be questioned. He said it is completely wrong on the part of the missionaries to claim that they have legal support to conversion. He said the actual population of converted Christians in India may have crossed 11 to 12 per cent.

Noted writer, thinker and retired scientist of NASA, Dr NS Rajaram said the Christians cannot be called a minority in India and should be treated as a worldwide Christian community just as any multinational company starting its operation in India cannot be isolated from their main office. He said ‘conversion to Christianity is what jehad is to Islam.

President of Madiga Dandora Dalit community Shri M Shankarappa requested the upper caste Hindus to extend friendly gesture to the low caste Hindus who are basically trapped by the evangelists on the promise that they will get respect with them. Shri M Chidananda Murthy urged the Karnataka Government to enact anti-conversion law immediately on the lines of Madhya Pradesh.

Sri Mahanta Linga Swamiji of Vibhutipura Mutt said those who are getting education through Christian schools are either looking down at the Hindu way of life or getting converted to Christianity, which is a national disaster. Karnataka ST Board chairperson Smt Mangala Sridhar and noted writer Shri SL Byrappa who presided over the seminar, also spoke on the occasion.
(By R Guru Prasad)