On 18 December 1992 the United Nations adopted and promulgated the "Declaration on the Rights of Persons belonging to National or Ethnic Religious and Linguistic Minorities" declaring that":

"States shall protect the existence of the national or ethnic, cultural, religious and linguistic identity of minorities within their respective "territories and éncourage conditions for the promotion of that identity."

This important world body document assertively said that:"States shall take measures to ensure that persons belonging to minorities exercise fully and effectively all their human rights and fundamental freedoms without any discrimination and in full equality before the law. This UN Declaration - specifying the various rights of religious and other Minorities in the form of an internationally binding jurisprudential, legal, social, moral and governmental code of the contemporary civilized world - will be completing six years of its life on 18 December 1998

This important UN Declaration has a very special significance for the pluralistic society in our country. In the circumstances now prevailing in the country its significance has indeed greatly multiplied. The National Commission for Minorities has, therefore, decided to observe 18December 1998 as the "Minorities Rights Day". It will celebrate the occasion on an appropriate scale.

On behalf of the Commission I call upon the Central and State Governments, Union Territory Administrations, Human Rights organizations and NGOs interested in the welfare of Minorities, to celebrate 18 December 1998 as the "Minorities Rights Day" in the befitting manner.

The gravamen of these arguments is that conversion from Hindu religion to Christianity or Islam is not only change of religion but also of loyalty to the nation and inspires extra-territorial allegiance.

Acharya Kishore minces no words saying: "We have paid the price once and shouldn't do it again". It is unmistakably a reference to the Partition, repetition of which is threatened by the Christians. At the same he justifies and commends reconversion: "We are not reconverting them. They are just being welcomed back." Echoing Golwalkar, he wants minorities to assume Hindu names, observe Indian (Hindu) festivals, identify with India's pre-Islamic past, worship the ancient legendary heroes and thus demonstrate their allegiance to the motherland (not for Mecca or Rome). In other words, he would reserve the right to convert for the Hindus (i.e. the VHP) and deny it to others.

:.. Their argument in the first place, runs counter to the Constitution of India which guarantees equality of all citizens irrespective of religious affiliation and treats the right to profess and propagate one's faith as a fundamental right.

It is also contrary to the UN Charter of Human Rights to which India is a signatory and which insists on 'freedom of conscience' while enjoining on signatories to assure its protection ... Such arguments and activities are thus offensive to the basic law of the land and falls foul of the nation's international commitments.

The VHP's stance on conversion also runs counter to its own aspiration to spread the message of Hinduism and Vedic dharma all over the world. To achieve this goal its leaders are touring different countries, appointing Hindu missionaries and promoting temple construction everywhere. If non-Hindus in India are to be treated as suspect or hostile, what about Hindus in lands where predominant religion and culture are non-Hindu? By the same token will not Hindu NRIs be subjected to hostility?

Unfortunately for the BJP, its leadership has remained stuck in the Golwalkarian groove, both politically and emotionally. The same stance is evident in the context of the anti-Gandhi play, Me Godse Boltoi, or the Maharashtra government's arbitrary rejection of the Srikrishna Report as 'anti-Hindu'. Prime Minister Vajpayee and Home Minister Advani have been complaining that charge of anti-minorityism is a canard spread by their opponents. But neither of them have ever condemned the ideological stance which finds manifestation in the hate campaign which is the root cause of most anti-minority violence.

Their kid-glove approach to shenanigans of the Sangh Parivar only shows that they have scant respect for the Constitution of India as well as for internationally recognised human rights. (Source: The Pioneer, 11 October, 1998)