Conversion as a problem

  MR B.G. Verghese, the veteran journalist, starts out to participate in the debate on “conversion” in the first paragraph of his two-part article and closes the discussion virtually in the second paragraph by saying that the “propaganda of faith and conversion are both constitutionally permissible”. (“Question of conversion,” The Tribune, March 9 and 10). He has failed to give a single argument in favour of conversion. Muslims have been openly converting Hindus to their faith and admit doing so. Christians try to camouflage conversion as social uplift and this is clearly admitted when Mr Verghese describes it as “somewhat unintended consequence of that endeavour”.

Conversion has been the subject of many Western movies and novels. The missionary is shown to upset the applecart of local beliefs and customs and then clashes occur. Many die — the missionary included. Conversions always invite trouble, and this aspect Mr Verghese has not touched upon.

All his premises are wrong. He would like us to believe that India was not enslaved. Can we shut our eyes to Partition and to the fact that we became a free nation in August, 1947, who is trying to rewrite history?

Judaism, Christianity and Islam are foreign to India, not only geographically but also in spirit, because no religion born in India allows its followers to consider “themselves as chosen people with a heavenly mandate to fulfil”. The writer has wrongly bracketed Hinduism with Judaism in this regard. In fact, religious strife came to India with Islam and Christianity, and was unknown earlier.

Mr Verghese resents “there is no effort to instil knowledge and understanding” of religions. Who is responsible for this state of affairs, if not the minorities?

And then there is the usual argument of “caste” and “oppression”. May one know the name of a country or society that has existed without the oppressing and the oppressed classes at any point of time? Every nation has its “Lords” and “Commons”.

It will require much more space than the Editor will permit me to bring out the inadequacy of Mr Verghese’s assessment of the present situation. He would, as a matter of fact, see an “utopia” functioning in India before he addresses himself to the problem of “conversions”. He fails to recognise the nation's concern at the victimisation of the majority community which has, unfortunately, continued beyond 1947. Kashmir and Punjab are the cases in point. Could any example be quoted to support the fear of what is termed as “majoritarian tyranny” in India.

L. R. SHARMA
Solan

Caring for refinery oustees

The Tribune has carried a report, “Plight of refinery oustees” (Feb 27), which is totally one-sided. We would like to clarify our position.

The shifting of Baholi village was done by the district administration in accordance with the government’s guidelines, and as per the terms of environmental clearance. All the 352 affected families have been paid 1½ times the compensation fixed by the state government for their tenements. All the erstwhile residents of the village have been given plots of the size as owned by them earlier in the new village.

In addition to the compensation for the land and tenements, Panipat Refinery has also paid Rs 7,500 each to the poor families to construct pucca houses instead of the huts they were earlier living in. Facilities like a panchayat ghar, a school, a veterinary hospital, a primary health centre and a mahila mandal building have also been provided in the village by Indian Oil through the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA). The entire cost of Rs 6 crore towards the development of land, the construction of roads, sewerage, street-lighting, water supply, etc, in the new village has been borne by Indian Oil.

The recruitment to various positions in the workmen category has been done in compliance with government directives. The vacancies are being filled through local employment exchanges and, in case of the availability of suitable candidates, through newspaper advertisements. Panipat Refinery being the most modern unit has very sophisticated equipment. Its operations call for operating personnel with a high degree of technical competence, requisite qualifications and experience in automated process operations.

Keeping in view the low education profile of the wards of the land-losers, Indian Oil had come forward to sponsor about 32 eligible wards for ITI training. Accordingly, Indian Oil had deposited Rs 1 lakh with the ITI, Panipat, in 1998. However, no candidate has come forward for the training, though Indian Oil has also agreed to pay a stipend of Rs 800 per month to the candidates attending ITI classes.

This apart, a rehabilitation committee consisting of representatives of Indian Oil and the district administration has been formed to implement various rehabilitation decisions. In order to provide livelihood to the villagers by various means, formation of village cooperative societies has been encouraged. So far contracts for low-skill, temporary jobs worth about Rs 60 lakh have already been awarded by Panipat Refinery to the cooperative societies formed by the local villagers. There are certain other commitments which have also been made.

NOORANA,
Sr. Corporate Communications Officer,
Indian Oil Corporation Limited,
Panipat