Author: TN Raghunatha
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: June 13, 2009
URL: http://www.dailypioneer.com/182645/US-body-should-not-interfere-in-Indian-affairs-Shankaracharya.html
Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati on
Friday vehemently opposed the impending visit of United States Commission
on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) to India, by saying that it was
nothing but "an intrusive mechanism of a foreign Government to interfere
in the internal affairs of this country".
"Though the Indian Government has permitted
USCIRF for sending its delegation to this country to hold meetings with our
people to ascertain religious freedom in our country, the delegation should
actually not be allowed to enter this country on this intrusive mission. We
will not allow external interference into our internal affairs," the
Shankaracharya said.
The Shankaracharya was interacting with the
mediapersons after initiating the inter-faith dialogue with Christian leaders,
including a cardinal from Vatican City in Rome, Jean Louis P Tauran and Cardinal
Oswald Gracias from Mumbai.
Held at that the Shanmukhananda Hall in central
Mumbai, the inter-faith dialogue - aimed at sending a message of peace and
harmony to the people - was along the lines of a similar move undertaken by
the Pope Benedict XVI to hold talks with the chief of Rabbinate of Israel
at Jerusalem on May 12,2009, to bolster religious tolerance between Jews and
Catholics.
In a significant statement, the seer from
the Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt voiced his opposition to "forceful conversion"
by any religion. "It has become easy for the missionaries to convert
Hindus. All Hindu organisations and associations should work together to educate
Hindus and eradicate conversion activity. We have conveyed this message to
Christian leaders in the meeting," the Shankaracharya said.
Echoing the sentiments expressed by the Shankaracharya
vis-à-vis "forceful conversion", Mumbai's Cardinal Oswald
Gracias said: "We will not encourage any forceful activities. This message
will reach all the Christian organisations."
The Shankaracharya also exhorted the Churches
and Christian groups to utilise the funds received by them from abroad for
social causes and not for religious conversions.
"We know that very large amounts of money
come into this country for Churches and Christian groups, ostensibly for charitable
work. These funds should be used only for social causes like health, education
etc and should not be used for religious conversion. The Christian organisations
should also distribute the funds received from abroad among various charitable
institutions irrespective of their religious faith," the Shankaracharya
said.
The Shankaracharya went on to add: "…
the Hindu dharma and the Hindus welcome Christians, Muslims, Parsis and Jews
to make this land their home. We expect that these religions will not seek
to destroy our faith, religion and wound the religious sensibilities. We encourage
all religions to live with mutual respect and harmony and in a shared sense
of nationalism which should bind us all as one nation".
The Shankaracharya also advised the churches
in India against using Hindu religious words, phrases and symbols like Veda,
Agama, Rishi, Ashrama and Om, as an "inculturation" tactic to deceive
vulnerable sections of people targeted for religious conversion. He also urged
the Indian Government to look into the reported efforts by some churches to
script a new bible for new converts by usurping sections of sacred Vedas,
Upanishads and Puranas and incorporating them into the Bible.
