THE Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a radical Hindu group, plans to convert 4,000 Christian and 1,000 Muslim families to Hinduism next 25th of December, in Aligarh (Uttar Pradesh).
Fundamentalist Hindus call it the “Ghar Whapsi” (returning home) programme, and claim it will be “the greatest ever happened”. If it will really happen, it would be the fourth case in less than three months, always in Uttar Pradesh.
Personalities from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Central government ruling Hindu ultra-nationalist party, will attend the event.
Father Francis Arackal, a Dominican priest and head of the department of Communication at St. Joseph’s College (Bangalore), downplayed the event. “The RSS which claims to be upholding the culture of India and Hinduism hasn’t really understood the essence of Indian culture and the essence of the Hindu religion. No wonder they are doing the cheap conversions,” he said.
“Aligarh was chosen because it’s time we wrest the Hindu city from Muslims. It is a city of brave Rajputs and their temples on whose remains Muslim institutions have been established,” said RSS regional pracharak Rajeshwar Singh.
“Christmas was chosen as the day for conversion because the event is a shakti pariksha (test of strength) for both religions,” said Singh. “If their religion is better, they can stop them. It is a test for both of us. If they come to us on Christmas, it is the biggest rejection of the faith.”
For the priest “the proposed reconversion drive by RSS is being planned as a conspiracy politics keeping in mind the State Assembly elections which is due in Uttar Pradesh in 2016 as ‘diverting attention trick’. The other intention is to hide all the wrong doings and criminalizing politics and communal violence in India.” Asia News
