Kumbh Day 1: Message for missionaries

Quoting from the Bible and a Bollywood number, it was an open call from kathakar Morari Bapu to missionaries, asking them to stop conversion...

Quoting from the Bible and a Bollywood number, it was an open call from kathakar Morari Bapu to missionaries, asking them to stop conversions. Stressing his liberal credentials, he even asked them to cooperate in the ghar vaapsi programme of those tribal Christians who wanted to come back to their 8216;parent8217; religion.

Gujarat CM Narendra Modi, on the other hand, quoted Mahatma Gandhi to say it was his constitutional duty to see that no conversions took place. RSS chief K S Sudarshan, however, chose only to watch the proceedings from the dais with Asaram Bapu among others.

The inauguration of the Shabari Kumbh at the sprawling site in the forests of Ahwa-Dangs proved what it was supposed to: a show of Hindutva strength, and a warning to missionaries to stay away from conversions.

Supported by the state government, the religious heads wanted all induced conversions8212;poaching, as they term it 8212; stopped. Calling the missionaries and their supporters pakhandis and hypocrites, Morari Bapu chose to remind them of the teachings of Jesus Chris.

Addressing a crowd of more than two lakh devotees, Morari Bapu quoted from the Gospel of Luke in the Bible to say that even Christ8217;s word forbade conversions. 8216;8216;It is hypocrisy to not follow what you preach. When the Bible says do not convert, please don8217;t. It is great that you are good doctors, and have the money to help poor and ailing. But once they have been healed, let them go back home re-convert as good doctors do.8221;

Raising the rhetorical pitch, Morari Bapu went on to ask, 8216;8216;Are induced conversions are good but is coming back home bad? Plane-loads from the Vatican can come here and carry out conversions, but if we organise a ghar vaapsi, it is bad. Let everyone be clear that this programme is about peace and tolerance as characterised by the Hindu ethos. No one should be scared of it,8217;8217; he said.

Modi for his part ridiculed those who opposed the Kumbh as 8220;Macaulay8217;s sons8221;. 8216;8216;Mahatma Gandhi fought conversions,8221; he said. 8220;Our Constitution disapproves of them, and yet some people turn a blind eye.8221;