Conversion row escalates, BJP dares Oppn

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 21

Under attack over conversions — “ghar wapsi” in the saffron parlance — the BJP seems to be turning the tables on the Opposition by challenging “secular parties” to support an anti-conversion legislation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is believed to have asked his ministers to refrain from commenting on the issue that washed away the entire last week in Parliament and is now threatening to do away with what remains of it.

But party president Amit Shah and leaders of BJP’s ideological fountainhead Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and its affiliate groups such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad are openly voicing opinions on the issue, deepening it further and drawing the focus away from the Prime Minister’s development pitch.

A day after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat called for the awakening of the Hindu community and challenged the “so-called secular parties” to back the legislation banning conversions, Shah reiterated his point today saying both the BJP and the government were opposed to forced conversions.

Shah said it was up to the “secular parties” to decide on whether they would like to support the BJP on the anti-conversion law about which Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu had spoken during a discussion in the Lok Sabha. “Now it is up to the so-called secular parties whether they want to stop forced conversions in the country or not,” Shah said. On whether the BJP was ready to talk to minority organisations on the issue, he said a public debate could only be taken up after a consensus among political parties.

He also refused to comment on Bhagwat’s observation in Kolkata on India being a “Hindu rashtra”. “BJP’s stand on forced conversion is right and we are clear on our stand. No one can derail us from development... Are the so-called secular parties ready?” Shah was quoted as saying in Chennai, today.

Bhagwat’s comment “we are trying to create a strong Hindu” drew sharp criticism from political parties. Sources say BJP-RSS leaders are building grounds for an anti-conversion law at the Centre and are trying to push Opposition parties to make public commitment to it.

On Saturday, the VHP claimed to have organised “ghar wapsi” of several tribal Christians in Gujarat’s Valsad. Gujarat, incidentally, has a law under which permission of the district administration is necessary before faith conversion.

VHP chief Ashok Singhal said; “We have a government today which is committed to protecting Hinduism. We are striving to revive Hinduism in country.” The VHP patron said the aim was to make people aware of their ancestors. “Our aim is not to convert people’s religion, but to win their hearts,” he was quoted as saying.

“Our culture and religion were subjugated and we struggled. In 800 years, a day has now come in which we can say we have a government which is committed to protecting Hindutva. Our values will be gradually established in the country,” Singhal said.

“We want an invincible Hindu society which works for the world’s welfare according to these values... We have never gone out to convert the world but to win over their heart,” he said — an apparent reference to the ongoing row. Referring to the BJP government, he said the Hindus had come back to power in Delhi after Rajput king Prithviraj Chauhan lost it in the 12th century.