Future of converts and reconverts

The statement of US President Barack Obama is an eye-opener for the RSS and its allied groups. It is also a matter of concern for the present government which came to power on the slogan “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas”. But in practice there is a trend to oppress the minorities as well as the lower sections of society. The problem of conversion is also an offshoot of religious intolerance and inequality. The problem has been a deep-rooted one in the entire country for a long time. Hindus and Christian missionaries converting people from their original religion has been a common issue for years. However, the issue became a hot topic of discussion only after the December 8 reconversion of 57 Muslim families by an RSS-linked group. The issue soon rocked both Houses of Parliament with the Rajya Sabha, where the BJP does not have sufficient numbers, not being able to carry out the routine business. The recent conversions and reconversions of Dalits in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh serve to highlight how the import of a European ideal on religious freedom has the potential to stir communal tension in India.

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In India we find that despite the conversion to Islam or Christianity, the converts have carried their castes to their new affiliation and thus stratified these religions along caste lines. It is also important to note that in both these religions, there are several sects which practise endogamy and thus behave like castes. This is also true of Sikhism, Jainism, and Buddhism, which rose as protest movements against the Brahminical caste system, but remain divided along caste lines.

Hinduism does not recognise the virtues of equality, liberty and fraternity. In this religion inequality is a religious doctrine, adopted and consciously preached as a sacred dogma that is the Varna System. Inequalities amongst the castes have generally been seen in terms of ritual purity and pollution and the practice of untouchability. The evil aspects of the system — such as oppression and untouchability — are highlighted and a reformist stand is taken to remove the evils of the system.

Conversion per se is not the solution to problems people are facing and any religion which claims to be doing that is only misleading the people. Even the Muslims in Agra who had converted went back to offer Namaz after participating in "puja" and with a “tilak” on their forehead. Not only that, the Muslims later alleged that they were promised ration cards and Aadhaar cards. Those involved in such practices should understand that their efforts have not borne any fruit with the poor doing it just for monetary gains. Although various other religious groups and organisations have protested against these acts, the alleged activity still continues under the nose of the law.
What happens when someone converts to Hinduism? Are they brought into the caste system, becoming Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras? Or are they still outside the caste system since they were not born into Hinduism? In which caste will they marry their children?

When non-Hindus become Hindus, they don’t have to be part of any Varna or Jati. So if a person is converting to Hinduism, he need not worry about the Jati as that is something only a South-Asian person can have through birth. And one really need not worry about Varna either because that is something you define for yourself. In its Indian context, Hinduism is both a culture and a religion, but in its Western context, Hinduism is a religion only. So a conversion into Hindu religion is fully possible (if that is what one chooses), and classification into any caste label is completely unnecessary. When a person is born in a Hindu family, he is born with a stamp of a particular caste. In Hinduism the caste of a person remains unchanged. The entire system of Varna and Jati is called the
caste system.

The majority of persons who were converted to Islam or Christianity were from the lower-most section of society, i.e., Dalits. They were converted either by some allurement or by force. The RSS and its associate groups are treating the persons who are being converted from other religions as their property. Mohan Bhagwat, head of the RSS, has made a statement in which he has referred the persons converted to other religions as the stolen property of Hindus. He has said that the thief has been caught and they are getting their property back. This approach of the RSS and other such organisations promotes the slave system. They are following a very unethical and inhuman approach. When this issue came under the public glare and was criticised, the RSS coined the term “Ghar Wapsi”. In Punjab the RSS is converting Christians back to Sikhism in the garb of “Ghar Wapsi”. In Sikhism there is no “rehat maryada” by which a person who has adopted another religion is brought back to Sikhism. The 9th Sikh Guru sacrificed his life to prevent conversions. In a similar manner, he would have also criticised a Hindu Raja converting persons from Islam to Hinduism. The purpose of the greatest sacrifice has been defeated by such acts of conversion/reconversion. This is going to destabilise the peace and communal harmony of our country. The minorities in India are already feeling insecure. If these kinds of activities are not stopped, the minorities will have to think of taking a collective action. . If an individual or a family wants to embrace a particular religion, it should be left to its own will and the policy of “Sarva Dharam Sambhav” should be followed in letter and spirit.

The writer is the Shiromani Akali Dal M.L.A. from Bassi Pathana, Punjab