Author: Sanjay Jena
Publication: Hindusthan Samachar
Date: February 19, 2004
Christian organisations in Orissa
once again resorted to vitriol against Hindus and Hindu organisations for
forcefully converting their people to Hinduism. This time Kinnimul village
of Jagatsingghpur district is in focus. Eight persons including seven women
were forcefully tonsured by Hindus in the village alleged Christian organisations
seeking even intervention of Orissa Governor M.M. Rajendran.
These eight tonsured people were
paraded before press and electronic media in a Church premise at Bhubaneswar
and were made to allege that their intolerant Hindu neighbourers tonsured
them in their bid to convert them to Hindu religion.
However an on the spot investigation
did not find any attempt for forceful conversion of Christians to Hindu
fold. Rather found helpless parents shedding tears as missionaries took
away their young daughters and even minor children converted them to Christianity
and instigated them to defy the old cultural moorings of their society.
Niranjan Bhoi of Kinnimul village
is helpless. His two daughters Mamata (20) and Narmada (18) have left their
house and are not coming back. The reason, Christians have distanced these
girls from their family and are even up against their father looking for
their marriages.
"My husband is mentally retarded
and I see my future in my only son Sujit (18)", said Amitarani Jena of
the same village with a choked voice. Mrs. Jena said that Christians have
taken away her son and She is even not aware of his whereabouts. Mrs. Jena
said that She has heard from her Christian neighbourers that Sujit is being
given training in a Church at Bhubaneswar. "I am helpless" said She pleading
before Christians to send back her son to the family fold.
The list adds up. The common allegation
is - failed to convince senior people to change over to their religion
even by allurement, Christians planningly are brainwashing their minor
Children and gradually ditstancing them from their culture and even from
their family.
Santosh Kumar Jena (14) a student
of class IX with Bible in hand has all innocence to tell that he has been
provided with bags of literature from local Christians. He has been urged
to defy his parents to come to Church as that could fetch him money and
good employment in future.
The Christians work itself is provocative
and it is but natural for Hindus to develop hatred for them said Mr. Ashok
Sahu, President of State Hindu Jagaran Samukhya (HJS). Mr. Sahu refuted
Christian organisations' allegation that 8 people were forcefully tonsured
by Hindus at kinnimul village
With rising consciousness among
Hindus in the village, few people earlier converted to Christianity changed
over to their original faith. Bothered over the development mandarins of
Church brought eight people, tonsured them and produced before press to
win sympathy, alleged Mr. Sahu.
Says Mrs. Amitarani Jena, "no body
in our village was tonsured. Let they come and face us here to tell that
they were tonsured in our village".
Christian organisations and even
Congress party have demanded strong action against people responsible for
'unleashing terror on Christians'. On the other hand HJS President Mr.
Sahoo an Assam cadre IPS officer challenged the demand and said by converting
minors to Christianity the Orissa Freedom of Religion Act (OFRA) has not
only been violated but recommends strong punishment. "Now the Government
should take such people to task who have converted minors in violation
of a law that is in force since 1967 in the state" Mr. Sahu said
On the other hand All India Christian
Council National General secretary Mr. John Dayal demanded a judicial probe
into the incident and said that he has appealed the National Human Rights
Commission (NHRC) to probe the matter alleging state Government inaction
to bring the culprits to book. Mr. Dayal said this addressing a press conference
here.
