Intro: Hindu organisations make it clear that paraavarthanam has been taking place in Kerala since the last several decades. They wonder why this hue and cry about it now. They find political motives behind this.
Ghar Vaapasi campaign has turned into a hot issue in Kerala along with North India. Here, all anti-Sangh Parivar parties and groups cutting across party lines are in chorus in alleging that Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and its offshoots are misusing the BJP rule at the centre. Congress, CPM, Muslim groups, Church, etc. use the TV channels as the platforms for mudslinging against Sangh organisations.
But, the same time, these vocal opponents keep mum when Sangh parivar debaters draw their attention to the fact that four Hindu organisations, viz., Arya Samaj, Sree Ramadasa Mission, Hindu Mission (led by local Congress men in Thiruvananthapuram) and Ayyappa Seva Sangham (led by Thennala Balakrishna Pillai, veteran Congress leader, former Pradesh Congress Committee President & former MP) enjoy the mandate, approved by the state government, to issue certificates for the paraavarthanam (reconversion to Hinduism) rituals. Then the reconverts have to undergo the government procedures. This is how Congress leader and former union minister of state Kodikkunnel Suresh got reconverted into Hinduism. It had been upheld by even the Supreme Court of India in connection with the election case he had to fight. Hindu organisations make it clear that paraavarthanam has been taking place in Kerala since the last several decades. They wonder why this hue and cry about it now. They find political motives behind this.
Vellappalli Nateshan, powerful general secretary of SNDP, the cultural organisation of OBC Ezhavas, founded by Sree Narayana Guru, strongly supported Ghar Vaapasi. He wonders why the political parties kept mum when Hindus were converted into other religions. He said nothing wrong in reconverting them back to Hinduism. Why the political leaders oppose it? He asks.
Organiser spoke to NK Neelankantan Master, President of Kerala Pulaya Maha Sabha, Dalit organisation. He said that, “The people who come forward to embrace Hinduism are warm welcome. But, the same time he cautioned against the Christian designs to permit Dalit Christians to embrace Hinduism for the sake of bagging the benefits of SCs/STs and at the same time following the Christian rituals, church going, etc. This will ultimately lead to Christian domination in the state assemblies and parliament by winning the SCs/STs reservation seats by Christian believers with Hindu names.”
He pointed out that the Dalit converts are not at all acceptable in the mainstream of Christian society. He told about the reports about an incident that took place in Muttuchira, near Kottayam. There, traditional Christians did not like the Dalith converts worshipping in their church. Therefore, another church and cemetery were established for them. These sorts of treatments also may contribute towards the reconversion.
RV Babu, state general secretary of Hindu Aikya Vedi told to Organiser that the above question should be discussed by the spiritual and social leaders of Hindu society. And, it should have a pan Indian nature. Babu cited the example of the state government controlled Kerala State Development Corporation for Christian Converts From Scheduled Castes And The Recommended Communities Ltd. as the orchestrated plan to encourage daliths’ conversion to Christianity and Islam. AK Balan, CPM leader and minister for SC/ST/Backward Classes under former LDF government led by CPM veteran VS Achuthanandan, addressing a Loan Waiver Scheme function undertaken by the above body, had declared the writing off of the agricultural loans worth Rs 159 crores benefitting nearly one lakh people. (The Hindu, June 10, 2010).
Meanwhile, even though anti RSS groups rule the roost saying that Sangh parivar engineers forceful conversion in the state, no such incidents have been reported so far. In fact the reconverted ones tell the media that none forced them to reconvert; they underwent the paraavarthanam as per their will and pleasure. —T Satisan, Kochi
