The ‘Ghar Waapsi’ (home-coming to Hindu fold) program is in fact a well-planned move to introduce a new law, which would make conversion from one faith to the other almost impossible.
The program is being organized with fanfare all over the country. The impression is being created that hundreds of Christian and Muslim families are returning back to their ancestors’ religion.
Not only the reports of the conversions through inducements are appearing thick and fast, there is also a distinct possibility of inflated claims about the number of those who have “returned” to the Hindu fold. There are also no proofs that those paraded are really Muslims or Christians.
Are Hindutva organizations really interested in Ghar Waapsi? The dominant possibility is that they are not.
They know that if such open methods of attracting people toward their religions are adopted by Muslims and Christians, the chances of Hindus converting in big numbers are even higher. The program is in fact a well-thought out and well-planned attempt at bringing a new law, which would make conversion per se almost impossible.
The anti-conversion law, they believe, would ensure that the ratio of Hindus and other communities will not change in favor of other communities. By making Ghar Waapsi movement a big issue, they seek to force Christian and Muslim leaders to accept the anti-conversion bill. Already some Muslim panelists appearing on TV debates can be seen favoring the idea of the new Act.
Muslim and Christian leaders need to recognize the hidden motive, and they need to oppose any such move because it will be against the very essence of the Constitution, which recognizes freedom of conscience as a fundamental right of every citizen, and an anti-conversion act will amount to snatching this right away from him.
What is to be ensured is not that no conversion takes place at all, but that no conversion takes place through force or lure of any kind.
With the ‘Ghar Waapsi’ movement gaining momentum, the communal bomb seems to be heading toward a huge explosion. — Dr. Javed Jamil, New Delhi
Hindutva’s new ploy
