HVK Archives: VHP will counter evil designs of missionaries: Dalmia
VHP will counter evil designs of missionaries: Dalmia - The Observer
Posted By Krishnakant Udavant (krishnakant@vsnl.com)
January 14, 1999
Title: VHP will counter evil designs of missionaries: Dalmia
Author:
Publication: The Observer
Date: January 14, 1999
While the Christians are accusing Sangh Parivar for attacking
Minorities, President of Vishwa Hindu Parishad Vishnu Hari
Dalmia is blaming the Church for spreading malignity against
Sangh Parivar "to tarnish the image of the BJP governments."
He said that the recent incidents in Gujarat is part of a major
conspiracy to destabilise the Vajpayee Government at the Centre.
In an exclusive interview with Suresh Kumar Unnithan, Mr Dalmia
declared that the VHP "will counter the evil designs" of the
Christian Missionaries in the country. Excerpts:
According to media reports, you are responsible for the recent
attacks on Christians in the Dangs district, of Gujarat.
Q: The VHP is not way involved in the so called attack on
Christians in Gujarat. In fact, the Christians had attacked a
Hindu procession on December 25 and the whole incident has been
misrepresented by the missionaries and a section of the media.
A: May be, after the Christian attack there were some
retaliations from the other side also. But the real culprits
were the Christians. But unfortunately the facts have been
distorted and placed against the Hindus.
Q: Why the accusing fingers are particularly pointed at the VHP
alone?
A: as I told you earlier, there is an organised effort to
discredit the Hindu organisations in general and the Sangh
Parivar in particular. This is an attempt to malign the BJP
also. The Christian Missionaries and other anti-Hindu forces
are trying to create an impression that the Minorities are
insecure under the BJP rule.
This ongoing false propaganda is part of a major conspiracy to
dislodge the BJP governments at the Centre and States. Now,
demanding Gujarat Government's dismissal.
But they are little concerned about the state of affairs in
Bihar, where the criminals are having a free run. They have
hardly demanded any action against the Bihar Government.
Q: what motivates the Christians to work against the BJP?
A: the believe that the BJP, to a certain extent, will support
Hindu interests. They don't even want Hindu to get their
legitimate rights. So, with the support of certain foriegn
forces and political parties they are making a hue and cry that
Minorities are being persecuted under the BJP rule. In fact,
the Britishers had also adopted a similar game plan to enslave
India.
They created a rift between Hindus and Muslims and finally
captured the country. The present campaign against the Hindutva
forces is also part of a well planned strategy to weaken the
country.
Q: But the VHP has been criticising BJP and the Vajpayee
Government for not protecting or promoting Hindu interests.
A: It is true that Central government has shown little concern
to Hindu interests. There is reason for that. The present
Government is not a BJP Government. It is a coalition
government. So the BJP cannot go ahead with its agenda.
As a coalition partner it is forced to tread a path which is
acceptable to other partners also. We understand the
compulsions of the BJP. Even then we expected the BJP, as a
Hindu friendly party, to do something for the benefit of the
Hindus from within their limits. But unfortunately they are not
doing that.
Q: The VHP, has unleashed a campaign against conversion. But
Article 26 of our Constitution gives freedom to practice, preach
and propagate any religion of you choice. So are you not
questioning the constitutional rights of the Christians and
others through opposing conversion?
A: I don't think that our Constitution has granted anybody the
right to carry out conversion activities in the country. To my
knowledge, the Centre had constituted named Justice Neogi
Commission to probe the conversion activities of the Christians
Missionaries.
The Commission had brought out startling facts about the
missionaries in several parts of the country. In fact, some
states like Madhya Pradesh and Orissa had passed legislation
prohibiting conversion.
I personally feel that nobody should be given the right to
convert others. Even Hindus should not be allowed to convert
people from other faiths.
Q: But the VHP is now on a reconversions spree, is it not
unethical and unconstitutional?
A: We are not reconverting anyone. We are organising only home
coming. Some of our innocent Hindus brethren were converted to
Christianity and Islam though false means. We are bringing then
back to their parent religion and that cannot be called
reconversion.
We are not attempting to convert those who are by birth
Christians or Muslims. We treat Islam and Christianity with
equal respect. When we are doing so why can't they respect our
religion?
Q: Why are you opposing conversion, particularly when the
Constitution allows freedom of religion?
A: You are right. Every one in the country is free to chose
his faith. But at the same time the Constitution also says that
conversion by force is unlawful, the missionaries are using
unfair means, including force, to convert poor Hindus,
particularly tribals and backward class.
If the conversion activities continue in the same pace, our
country will soon become a Hindu minority state. We don't want
that to happen. Moreover, after conversion your mentality is
also changed. North-Eastern states are a telling example for
this.
There, the Hindu minority states want to break away from the
country. What is happening in Kashmir were the Hindus are a
minority. Pandits are forced to flee from there. These Pandits
are nor refugees in their own country. You want this to happen
in the rest of the country also.
Q: According to you why the Christian Missionaries are promoting
conversion activities?
A: They want to establish their empire through conversion.
They are pumping in enormous amount of money to achieve their
target. This is wrong. We believe in live and let live policy.
We don't believe in conversions.
Q: Except the BJP all major parties are blaming the VHP for
anti-Minority activities.
A: Vote is the prime concern of these parties. They are not
bothered about the future of this country. To garner votes
these parties pose as minority friendly, for they known that the
minorities are united, and Hindus are united, and Hindus are
divided on issues like language, caste and region.
This is just vote bank politics. One should not forget, this
Minority appeasement policy was responsible for the division of
the country and it is still being continued by certain parties,
which are only interested in capturing power.
Now in the name of Minorities these parties are trying to
suppress the majority Hindus. We are opposing this so they
depict us as anti-Minority. Surprisingly, the major community
is being facing discrimination in the country which could never
happen in any other country in the world.
Q: What is you approach to the Minority communities?
A: We firmly believe, the Minority should enjoy equal rights in
this country. But they want preferential treatment. They are
demanding more rights than the majority community, the Hindus.
This is unacceptable to us and we will oppose such demands.
Q: But Indian constitution provides special privilege for the
Minorities?
A: The constitution only says that the rights of the minorities
should be protected. This does not mean, the majority community
should be deprived of their rights. In fact, that is what is
happening in the country.
We are just opposing the discrimination against Hindus. We will
not tolerate this sort of discrimination any more. The Hindus
are awakening and they will fight for their legitimate rights.
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