Raising concerns over mass conversions in the country, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said that there is a need to check mass conversions that are occurring in the country. Interestingly, he made those comments while speaking at a function organised by a Christian body. “If someone accepts a religion on their own there shouldn’t be objections but mass conversion is a matter of concern for any country. If you’re Hindu be Hindu, Muslim be Muslim, Christian be Christian. Why do you want to convert the whole world?” he said at a function organised by Rashtriya Isai Mahasangh.
Rashtriya Isai Mahasangh is a federation of various Christian Forums at different levels in the country. Addressing the Festival of Peace organised by the Christian body, Singh said that he supports the freedom to follow any religion but was of the opinion that a debate is needed as the mass conversions is a matter of concern for any country.
Dismissing the charges against his party of trying to divide people along communal lines, BJP strongman Rajnath Singh said, “BJP aa gayi. Ab gadbad hoga, ye hoga wo hoga (BJP has come. Now this or that will happen). We do not want to run the country by instilling a sense of fear. We want to run this country with a sense of confidence (among people). Nobody should have a sense of alienation. This will be our efforts.” He added that the present NDA government will not discriminate with anybody.
“I have never discriminated on the basis of caste, creed and religion in my life. Whether or not we get votes. Whether or not we form the government, whether we win or lose. But we will never discriminate among people. This is what our prime minister feels,” he said at the Christian gathering.
Addressing the Chrisitan community, Rajnath Singh said, “I would also say one thing on the Christian community. We do not want to level allegations against anybody. You may have also heard. If somebody wants to accept a religion, he should do that. There should not be any objection to it. But if mass conversion starts happening, a large number of people start changing their religion, then it could be a matter of concern for any country,” Singh said.
He said in almost all countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, minorities demand anti-conversion law. In India, he said the majority community is demanding that there should be an anti-conversion law. “Then it is a matter of concern. It should not happen,” Singh said. Citing a slogan in Sanskrit, the home minister said, “we do not have an allergy with anybody”.
“You want to enlighten people. This is your purpose, right? ‘Hum number badhane ke chakkar me kyon pade hain’ (why are we for increasing the numbers?) Do we have to rule on somebody?” he asked.
Meanwhile, Rajanth Singh also added that there are attempts to create a sense of fear among people. Citing the incidents of stone pelting at churches, Rajnath Singh said that few priests had come to him to demand security. He said he had assured him of all the necessary security for the community. However, the stone pelting started a month before the assembly elections and stopped a month after the elections, Singh said while questioning the conspiracy behind such attacks.
