The Narmada Samajik Kumbh, a purely cultural event is being politicised and demonised so much that it makes one feel as though the Hindus cannot even gather for a legitimate cause. The unwarranted protest of some Christian leaders over the Kumbh and the instant support of the Congress Party to them only confirm the long-held suspicion, that the Congress party and the UPA government are actively abetting religious conversion of tribals and adivasis.
Narmada Samajik Kumbh is the second such event being organised by the Hindu organisations, with an objective of promoting the values of our heritage and culture. In a growing atmosphere of terrorism, Maoist bloody campaign and the increasing economic, political and social inequalities, these Kumbh are organised as anchors for strengthening the fabric of the society and nationalism. The first such Kumbh, held in 2006 in Dangs district in Gujarat was a major success, with eight lakh people affirming their commitment to the larger national cause. In this Narmada Kumbh, 10 lakh people are participating from the entire Central India region. The venue for the event from February 10-12 is Mandla, in Madhya Pradesh, along the banks of the river Narmada.
There is absolutely no reason for the Christian leaders to express ‘fear’ over this Samajik Kumbh. They have said that the Kumbh is an event for reconversion of tribals from Christianity back to the Hindu fold. Their ‘fear’ only goes to prove that they have been indulging in coercive and aggressive conversions unchallenged and any faint sign of resistance is giving them the jitters. The point is, the Kumbh’s objective is not reconversion. And even if it is, what right does any community have to protest? If the Christians and Muslims have a right to carry on conversions, using means foul and unethical, the Hindus have double the right to bring the converts back to their original faith. It must be made clear once and for all that as long as conversions take place, anti-conversion and reconversion efforts will be made by the Hindus. It is the duty of every Hindu to work towards protecting the religion, in order to safeguard the national unity and integrity. For, forces inimical to our country are working towards balkanising it.
A recently brought out book Breaking India: Western Interventions in Dravidian and Dalit Faultlines has exposed the well-entrenched network of foreign funds, NGOs and the Church, which is working overtime to divide the Hindu society vertically, horizontally and diagonally, and to create disaffection between people and lead to a Africa-like scenario, where civil war and inter-clan and inter-community clashes have reduced the continent to puzzle board pieces. The book, a result of five years of research has used the data collected from various western embassies on the funding and the destination of these funds. While it has been known that both the West and Islamic forces have been pumping money through various channels into India for disruptive activities, this book nails the sources and the end recipients.
Under this sponsored cacophony, it has become near-impossible to hear the voices of nationalism and sanity. Under the UPA, the situation has worsened like never before. While terrorists are given safe passage and invited for talks as state guests, the few Hindu organizations are being targeted systematically to create a fear psychosis. Government appointments are all being made on only one criterion – that the appointees should have a minority background, bloodline or identity. The media has been completely taken over, toeing the government line or echoing the babble of the leaders of the anti-Hindu bandwagon.
For instance, Britain has always claimed to be the melting pot of cultural identities and in the name of freedom of the individual encouraged sections to operate from within that country against the interest of others, like India. Now, in a speech delivered at the Munich Security Conference last week, British Prime Minister David Cameron said, “Multiculturalism is doomed to fail; societies need a national identity.” He bemoaned the fact that the British society had become mute and meek and did not stand up to the elements that were wrecking the national character. This situation is precisely what is developing in India, only here, it is the state that is sponsoring efforts to weaken and dilute the core identity of the nation, in the name of pluralism and diversity.
The rising religious conversions are tearing into the cultural and social matrix. The centuries old rituals, customs and practices that helped bind the communities are being forced to be abandoned. The indigenous knowledge and system are being demolished to pave way for imported, western models of life, thoroughly unsuited for Indian conditions. The new religions spread disaffection towards the state and try to instill apathy to the political system, which would eventually isolate them from the mainstream of national politics and governance. While it is a fact that decades of development has bypassed these communities living in the interior rural India, coerced religious conversions are not bringing them any closer to the advantages of development. On the other hand, the purpose is just the opposite.
It is in this context that events like Narmada Samajik Kumbh reinforce the faith of the people in the nation, in the community and in their culture and heritage, all issues intrinsically related to the Hindu religion. These events are social pilgrimages that would go a long way in strengthening the people-to-people bonding.
