Large scale organized conversions of poor and
illiterate,
either by force, or fraud or allurement, engineered by missionaries and
financially supported by Western nations under the guise of social service,
with an Evangelical zeal, destroy indigenous civilizations and cultures, are
irrational, unethical and unconstitutional. Such conversions often lead to
internal subversions, and cause law and order problems, fuel insurgency,
disturb the demographic balance and endanger the unity and integrity of the
nations in the long run. Therefore such religious conversions should be
stopped and a legal ban imposed.
These were the main conclusions reached by the Indian American Intellectuals'
Conference held on February 28, 1999 in New York. The conference was attended
by over 100 non-resident Indians who came from all over the country. The
Conference was inaugurated by Dr. Bhupendra Kumar Mody, Working President
(External) of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Chairman of Mody Industrial
Group in India, by traditional ceremony of lighting a lamp.
Dr. Modi informed the audience about Dharma Sansad (Parliament of Religions)
which was organized in Ahmedabad last month; in which 7,000 Mathadishs
(leaders of various sects) from all over India participated. The Dharma
Sansad decided that since caste system has become a tool for politicians to
keep Hindu society divided, Hindus should get rid of the caste system at the
earliest. VHP is acting on the instructions issued by Dharma Sansad. I have
been given responsibility to bring Hindus all over the world on one platform
and make VHP the voice of Hindus, stated Dr. Modi. On behalf of VHP, we have
decided to build 100,000 single teacher schools for the benefit of our needy
brothers and sisters in India. You could sponsor one single teacher by giving
one dollar a day, urged Dr. Modi. It is a matter of great regret and shame
that after Independence, more than 2,000 big Hindu temples have been taken
over by the Government of India. No where in the world, except Communists
countries, temples are run by Government. We will take necessary steps to
liberate them from government control. Like Hindus, Buddhists from Korea,
Japan, Sri Lanka, etc. are being targeted for conversion by various Christian
groups. Hindus and Buddhists constitute one third of the humanity. It is of
utmost importance that Hindus and Buddhists should work in unison. We are on
the march. We are going forward with gusto. I am sure with your cooperation,
we will turn our plans into reality and make Hinduism the leading religion of
the world in the 21st Century, asserted Dr. Modi.
Jagdish Vyas, Chief Guest, a professor of Political Science said that Hindus are
too civilized, simple minded and politically naive people. In the today's
crooked world, ideological war is going on and plans have been carefully made
to devour the Hindus, being a soft target. Now is the time for Hindus to come
out of hibernation and assert themselves. Christianity is fast losing its
flock in the western world; that is the reason they are seeking converts in
Asia. Philippine has been completely converted to Christianity. There are
well documented plans now to Christianize India. But we will not allow them
to succeed in their diabolical schemes. In future, Hindus will not take
things lying down in India. A small incident in Dangs, Gujarat was blown out
of proportion, debated in British Parliament and letters were written to
Government of India to explain, as if India is subservient to UK and USA. We
should not get scared too much about world opinion. Why did the Home
Secretary of India, a nation of approximately one billion people, come to USA
to explain that law and order situation is normal in India, wondered Prof.
Vyas.
Citing Article 25 of the Indian Constitution, Dr. Dinesh Agrawal of
Pennsylvania State University and national president of OFBJP, USA, said that
right of professing and propagating a religion is not absolute according to
the Supreme Court of India. If it disturbs public order, employs immoral
means and causes to vitiate the social health, such religious practice is
unconstitutional and has to be stopped. Referring to the findings of Niyogi
Committee, appointed by Congress Government in 1954, Dr. Agrawal revealed that
in its findings the Committee concluded that conversions were mostly brought
about by undue influence or inducements, not by conviction. In addition,
conversions muddle the convert's sense of unity and solidarity with the
society, and there is a danger of his loyalty to his country and State being
undermined. He further cited population figures to stress the point that in
the last 50 years the demographic changes in the north eastern part of India
due to religious conversions have played havoc with the integrity of the
country.
Prof. Babu Suseelan said that Christianity and Islam are intolerant,
monolithic and aggressive ideologies and Hindus are tolerant and civilized to
a fault because, unlike others, they believe that God is one but there are
many paths to know Him. Quoting Arnold Toynbee, Prof. Suseelan proved that
Greece had produced great philosophers, mathematicians and poets like
Pythagoras, Plato, Aristotle and Socrates. But once the Christianity took it
over, Greece produced nothing. So is the case with Egypt, Mesopotamia and
Persia which were overrun by Islam. Conversely, when Hindus went to Indonesia
and Malaysia, they nurtured the local cultures and enhanced their creative
capability to develop and prosper.
Dr. Narinder Kukar, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Association of
Indians in America said that conversion of Hindus to Christianity or Islam
could lead to the balkanization of India. When India was first attacked by
Muslims in 712 and Hindus were converted to Islam, nobody could imagine that
conversion of Hindus to Islam one day would create two Islamic nations in the
Indian Subcontinent. Hence, we should learn a lesson from history, stand up
and resist conversion of our brothers either to Islam or Christianity,
cautioned Dr. Kukar.
Dr. Bijoy Kukar Mehta, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Hindu Center said
that from time immemorial, countless military expeditions have been launched
against hapless people. Crusade of Christianity and Jehad of Islam were
undertaken to subjugate people and conquer their land. Religious
conversion of local population were/are carried out at the instance of
imperial powers of yesteryears to perpetuate their indirect military and
economic dominance with the help of converts. Mahatma Gandhi in one of his
articles in Navjivan had said that India's future does not lie in as to how
Christians practice their Christianity or how Muslims practice their Islam but
India's future lies in as to how Hindus practice Hinduism, stated Dr. Mehta..
Prof. Shreedhar Kavil lashed out at media for spreading canards against Hindu
organizations calculated to tarnish the image of Hindus and India. Dr. Uma
Mysorker, President of Hindu Temple Society said that time has come that
Hindus should jettison internal squabbles and learn to work unitedly and
support temple activities. It is the duty of parent to teach their children
to be proud of their Hindu heritage. Prof. Rohni Pati Sinha said that one
percent of business/temple budget should be earmarked for the service of our
downtrodden brethren in India.
Mr. Pabitra Chaudhary, Vice President of AARSI informed the audience that
in 1998, 25 million Hindus made a pilgrimage to Haridwar to participate in
Kumbh Mela, the most auspicious ceremony of the decade. Evangelists took
advantage of the most tolerant and ancient religion of the world. They
swooped on the unsuspecting pilgrims with impunity to free them from their
"evil" and "capricious" Gods. Can you imagine Hindu holy men going to Haj or
Easter Mass to preach Hinduism, quipped Mr. Chaudhary. It is an act of
contempt to other religions to tell them that if you want to know God, it is
only through "my way". It hurts our sentiments and is an egregious violation
of human rights. Mahatma Gandhi had said that "it is impossible for me to
reconcile to the idea of conversion. It is an error. Proselytization is the
greatest impediment to the world peace. "
Prof. Kamlesh Kapoor of Hindu University said that conversion of poor Hindus
to Christianity is not a simple issue. It is time for Hindus to understand in
unambiguous terms that it is part of the sinister global strategy hatched by
Western Governments, ex-imperialists in tandem with Vatican hierarchy to
obliterate Hinduism from the soil and destabilize India.
Dr. Chandraguptan reminded the audience about the famous quote of Jomo
Kenyata, the African leader, who had said that when missionaries came to our
(their) country, they had Bible in their hands. But now they have our land
and we have their Bible.
Sardar Rajinder Singh Khalsa of Sant Ravi Das Temple narrated, in an
emotional tone, the story of supreme sacrifice made by Guru Teg Bahadur Saheb
ji, the 9th Gur, who laid down his life for the protection of Hindu Dharma
because he refused to convert to Islam.
A galaxy of intellectual luminaries, comprising of Dr. Jagat Motwani, Sardar
Inderjit Singh and Raksh Pal Sood of Sikh Sangat of America, Mr. Arvind Gupta
and others spoke on the occasion. The Conference was organized, among others,
by Arish Sahani, Secretary OFBJP, Eastern Zone, sponsored by Prof. Ravi
Kulkarni, President of AARSI and compered by Prof. Romesh Diwan,
President of the Forum.
Indian American Intellectuals Forum organizes conferences and seminars,
invites experts to express their opinions on the topics of interest to Hindu
community. For further information, you may contact N. Kataria at (718)
478-5735).