... The question of conversion and reconversion ...calls for a good, patient look once again, especially by the sensible, silent Hindu majority which ultimately has to prevail upon the rest. Conversion in the interior areas of several states, including West Bengal, by Christian priests

has irked some people.

They allege that poor villagers, mainly tribals, are being lured with promises of food and money on being baptised. "Exploitation of poverty" was the case being built up and a grave threat to Hinduism perceived.

In the first place, there is no case whatsoever of exploitation. The poor are exploited in India in innumerable ways by different sections on different arguments, and the poor themselves are not averse to exploiting one another, given an opportunity ..

The tribal leaders ... exploit the ignorance and confusion among those they lead for factional and personal gain ...

They are exploited by money-lenders, businessmen and even sometimes by the government, which "forgets" to compensate them after acquiring their land for development projects. There is no help available for the savours of Hinduism or tribal faiths ...

Even greater nonsense is the charge that a Christian conspiracy is afoot and that such conversions are aimed at weakening Hindu society. Conversions in India have been  taking place for hundreds of years. Force has sometimes been used, but people often convert voluntarily for economic and social advantages.

At the time of partition, the percentage of Muslims in Bengal was much higher than in the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh region, the seat of Muslim emperors for 700 years. It was the casteism then prevalent in this region that led the so-called lower castes to respond to the messages spread by Sufi saints and opt for a religion that promised equality. It also led to the advent of Chaitanya who sought to protect Hinduism by preaching the Vaishnava faith to neutralise

the evils of casteism.

For nearly two centuries now there have been conversions to Christianity all over the sub-continent, and no damage has been done ... The clergy ... by and large have gone into interior, even inaccessible areas, and helped those who needed it. No Hindu should fear being swamped by other faiths. There are enough Hindus and the community has survived various onslaughts over the enturies.

Reconversion to Hinduism is a ridiculous idea.

"Conversion to Hinduism", is a contradiction in terms. There can be no such conversion or reconversion, for that matter. Unlike the other major religions of the world, Hinduism has no provision for conversion.

The ancient Hindus did not feel the need to draw people from other faiths into their fold. Hinduism is not a institutional religion, it was never propagated. One is either born a Hindu or is not a Hindu. One cannot "become " a Hindu.

The present practice - dreamt up by politically motivated elements - of converting a non-Hindu by performing a yajna and giving him/her a Hindu name has nothing to do with the essence of Hinduism ...

The fundamentally liberal character of Hinduism makes it easy for anyone to live the Hindu way. There are no compulsions; nothing is mandatory.

A "converted" or "reconverted" Hindu will have no problems because Hindus do not bother about one's religious credentials.

But if protecting Hinduism is the issue, then it should be remembered that conversion to Hinduism is a farce. Hinduism neither needs it nor wants it .... (Source: The Statesman. 5 Iulv. 1999)