02-23-2007, 01:37 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>HP ban on conversions a political move? </b>
Pioneer News Service | Shimla
Christian council to challenge decision
The Himachal Pradesh Government decided to ban conversions seems to be a calculated political move. The State has the largest number of the Hindu population in the country. And the Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act has won the Virbhadra Singh Government applause across the party lines in the State for the getting the Act in place.
But if takes a look at the figures of conversions one definitely needs to give a second thought whether the State really needed this bill? <b>If one takes a look at the 2001 Census, there are only 8,000 Christians in the State and it would be difficult to say how many among these were made to convert to Christianity by coercion or allurement.</b> The All India Christian Council has already decided to challenge the Act in the High Court of Himachal Pradesh.
Talking to The Pioneer All India Christian Council secretary general John Dayal said the State Government decision was against the fundamental right of practice of religion and the organisation would challenge the decision of the Government in the High Court and would go even to the Supreme Court.
He said the <b>Congress President Sonia Gandhi had conveyed that her party was against this Act,</b> which was already in place where BJP led States of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. Several newspaper reports had earlier reported of conversions in various parts of the State during the last few years following which the Hindu organisations in the State have decided to take things in their own hands by reconverting them to Hinduism.
According to sources there have been reports of conversions from Kangra, Shimla, Kinnaur and Kullu districts of the State. And although there are no figures, which could give an exact figure of conversion, which have taken, place but reports continue to get into print time and again. The BJP's All India Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes president Tarsem Bharti has welcomed the move.
According to Bharti, the move would stop the policy of allurement being followed by the Christian missionaries to mislead the Hindu population of the State. Welcoming the Act, <b>he announced that more than 5,000 Christians would be reconverting to Hinduism on February 28, 2007 at Shimla.</b> <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Pioneer News Service | Shimla
Christian council to challenge decision
The Himachal Pradesh Government decided to ban conversions seems to be a calculated political move. The State has the largest number of the Hindu population in the country. And the Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act has won the Virbhadra Singh Government applause across the party lines in the State for the getting the Act in place.
But if takes a look at the figures of conversions one definitely needs to give a second thought whether the State really needed this bill? <b>If one takes a look at the 2001 Census, there are only 8,000 Christians in the State and it would be difficult to say how many among these were made to convert to Christianity by coercion or allurement.</b> The All India Christian Council has already decided to challenge the Act in the High Court of Himachal Pradesh.
Talking to The Pioneer All India Christian Council secretary general John Dayal said the State Government decision was against the fundamental right of practice of religion and the organisation would challenge the decision of the Government in the High Court and would go even to the Supreme Court.
He said the <b>Congress President Sonia Gandhi had conveyed that her party was against this Act,</b> which was already in place where BJP led States of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. Several newspaper reports had earlier reported of conversions in various parts of the State during the last few years following which the Hindu organisations in the State have decided to take things in their own hands by reconverting them to Hinduism.
According to sources there have been reports of conversions from Kangra, Shimla, Kinnaur and Kullu districts of the State. And although there are no figures, which could give an exact figure of conversion, which have taken, place but reports continue to get into print time and again. The BJP's All India Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes president Tarsem Bharti has welcomed the move.
According to Bharti, the move would stop the policy of allurement being followed by the Christian missionaries to mislead the Hindu population of the State. Welcoming the Act, <b>he announced that more than 5,000 Christians would be reconverting to Hinduism on February 28, 2007 at Shimla.</b> <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->