Conversion: The Other Side of the Story

Conversion: The Other Side of the Story

Dr M. D. Thomas

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‘Conversion’ is a very hot and sensational word in India, much more than ever required, well, may be only in India. It is ‘inflammable’ like the truck that carries petrol or diesel. Or it is like the bush ‘touch me not’ that withers even before it is touched.

The anti-conversion laws passed in some eight states, along with the anti-conversion narratives running around in the country, has made the issue profusely sensitive. A large number of punitive actions based on fake cases has created panic all around, as well.

The ‘freedom of religion’ or anti-conversion laws passed are intended to restrict or reduce forceful or fraudulent religious conversions, which is definitely an anomaly. Force or fraud makes conversion invalid and therefore they do not go together, truly so.

A parallel from the political sector would be very telling. A high number of political persons in various parties defect and change their affiliation as against a huge package of money. It is more than a wonder why this is not construed as a highly objectionable ‘conversion’.

In the normal context, people have the freedom to change their citizenship, job, hobbies, food habits, dress patterns, ideology, friendship, social traditions, and the like. It is certainly a vicious phenomenon to consider changing the religious affiliation intolerable.

Article 25 of the Constitution of India guarantees ‘freedom of conscience, free profession, practice and propagation of religion’ as one of the fundamental rights of the citizens. This declares not believing in any religion as well as switching over to another religion equally legitimate.

That would amount to state that neither governmental forces nor non-governmental sources can object to the natural phenomenon of religious conversion, as in the case of conversion or change of affiliation of any other sort.

Therefore, a Christian, Muslim or Buddhist can become a Hindu, Jain or Sikh. In the same manner, a Hindu, a person of any other persuasion for that matter, can make a profession of a different religion, for reasons reserved to himself. Anyone can worship in any place of worship, as well.

The core meaning of the word ‘conversion’ is ‘change’. Change is the fundamental principle of life. From birth to death, it is a continuous process of change. Biology asserts that all the cells of the body changes once in seven years. Therefore, change can never be negated.

After all, why on earth is there change? Change is a process that is geared towards growth. Change is always for the betterment, as well. Bettering one’s condition is one’s inviolable right. This God-given right cannot be denied by any power on earth.

The world is limited and limitations are found all over. People migrate to other areas due to shortcomings in one area. People change their belonging to a certain group in the wake of want of basic components of life. Improving one’s condition is always the purpose.

Food, clothing and shelter are the most basic material requirements in life. Education, medical care and other social provisions are required, too. Over and above, everyone wants freedom, respect, dignity, equal status, love, care, security, and the like.

In the wake of the shortage of the above fundamentals of life in the community of one’s affiliation, anyone would like to change one’s belonging. This is a natural phenomenon. No one can be considered at fault for such a decision. The previous community is responsible for such happenings.

It is too obvious that a high range of discrimination and division have been at the centre of the social fabric of the Indian or Hindu society. Considerations of high and low were rampant in the social sector. Those of the lower castes and the casteless or the untouchable had a miserable life to live. No wonder, battalions of them flew to the Buddhist, Islamic and Christian communities, in search of human dignity and basic necessities of life.

A more decent and dignified life was the motive of the people who fled communities of their own origin. Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar was a paradigm, par excellence. ‘Though I was born a Hindu, I solemnly assure you that I will not die as a Hindu’ was his assertion. This statement speaks volumes of the miserable plight of millions and millions of people as well as the logic of change over.

It is too obvious that millions of people have bid good bye to India, and keep doing so, to other countries that are welfare states. They refuse to come back to India anymore, too. I do not think those people are at fault, but the deplorable state of affairs in the political, religious, economic, social and cultural spectrum of the country. Change for the better is one’s elementary right.

The other side of the story of conversion is a major food for thought. It is a clarion call to the fact that there is absolutely no logic in the hue and cry about ‘religious conversion’ that has engulfed the country. It is like a ‘mirror’, in which those responsible have to see their face.

It is high time the political, social and religious custodians of the country realize that if they do not love and care for their children at home, the inmates will run away at an opportune time. The neighbour who welcomes and extends a human behaviour to them cannot be held responsible in any way for such a phenomenon.

Besides, enacting any number of anti-conversion or freedom of religion laws and punishing or pestering persons of the welcoming and caring community is no solution to the problem. It will only create ill will and distance between the communities concerned, along with an unfair behaviour. 

Instead, instances of using the religious belonging for ventilating one’s ill feeling towards someone has to be checked. Using the religion as a means to discriminate or take advantage over someone else has to be dealt with punitive action, too.

Much home work requires being done. Good sense and sound thinking has to be awakened. Consolidated efforts have to be promoted. A revolutionary process of social reformation has to be initiated. ‘Change for the better’ has to be recognized as a watchword for balancing the situation.

What’s more, effective measures have to be initiated for addressing caste system, discrimination, considerations of high and low, inequality, unsociability, and the like. Special schemes have to be devised for attending to the basic needs of the run-down groups of the India, of the Hindu community in particular.

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The author is Director of Institute of Harmony and Peace Studies, New Delhi, and has been committed to cross-cultural perspectives, cross-scriptural values, constitutional values, interfaith relations, social ethics, communal harmony, national integration and social wellbeing, for the past nearly 45 years. He pursues the above mission through lectures, articles, books, messages, video messages, conferences, social interactions, views at TV channels, and the like. He could be contacted at ‘mdthomas53@gmail.com’.