The Concept of India a Hindustan continues...

In 1977, the Supreme Court clarified in a landmark judgement, (Rev Stanislaus Vs State of Madhya Pradesh and Others) that Article 25 however worded did not allow for the right to convert. Chief Justice A.N. Ray opined that “if a person purposely undertakes the conversion of another to his religion, that would impinge on the freedom of conscience guaranteed to all citizens of the country alike”. Despite this clear ruling, governments that have come and gone have failed to translate the judgement into an explicit law. Since then the political play of secularism has continued to dilute the resolve of governments to stop induced conversions.

Now the freedom to convert has become of international concern. V.K. Shashikumar in an article titled: “Bush’s Conversion Agenda for India”, published in Tehelka in February 2004 states that a project code named JOSHUA projects I&II was formulated by US Evangelical groups to map the 1,52,786 post offices in India and codified by PIN codes, and then identify where and how conversion may be planned. Based on this project, a recent September 2005 conclave in Dallas, Texas targeted that 100 million converts from Hinduism should be achieved by 2020. Of course knowing the US
scene as I do, there are other Christian groups in the US who are apprehensive that these Evangelical groups may end up giving Christianity a bad name, and they have been using the web blogs to expose these groups. One such concerned group, the Trinity Foundation had exposed Benny Hinn who had earlier been received almost as a State Guest in Bangalore to hold his fraud congregation to demonstrate his miracle cures. But India bears the brunt of the likes of Benny Hinn, and not Trinity Foundation. And when we speak of Christian missionaries we mean those whose mission is to proselytize. And of course it is an international effort and we need to make up our minds to have none of it.


to be continued....