VHP wants `harsh law’ to curb churches’ activities

But the sants who have gathered here from different parts of the country clearly said that they should not wait for the Government to act. And they left no one in doubt that the Dangs was their role model, and Swami Aseemanand, who is leading the campaign for re-conversion of Christian tribals in south Gujarat, their hero. "Each Hindu saint should chose one area," said VHP working president Ashok Singhal in his opening remarks.The VHP made it plain that it did not agree with Prime Minister Atal BehariVajpayee’s statement that no forcible conversions were taking place. "Maybe he doesn’t have the correct information," said VHP general secretary Pravin Togadia. Remarked senior vice-president Giriraj Kishore, "Perhaps, the Prime Minister had some political compulsions".

The ball was set rolling by Singhal. More Hindus have been converted in the past 50 years than during the British rule, he said, adding, "This poses a danger to the culture and religion of the Hindus." In the Dangs alone, the Christian population had gone up from 500 to 40,000 since 1947, he said, and asked the sants to adopt particular areas for their work, "like the missionaries".

Moving the resolution, Acharya Avichaldas picked up the thread. He held up Swami Aseemanand as a role model which all Hindu sants should emulate. "He brought back 20,000 persons into the Hindu fold in one year in the Dangs. This shows what sants can do," he said.

As for the burning of prayer houses, the Acharya had an original explanation. "These prayerhouses were built by people who were converted. Once they returned to their faith, they installed idols of Hanuman in them. But the Christians burnt them down and blamed the Hindus," he said.Seconding the resolution, Swami Mangalanand also exhorted the sants to follow the example of Aseemanand. "Don’t expect anything from the Government; they are busy saving their chairs," he remarked. Even Swami Chinmayanand, who asked the Hindus to introspect, cited the example of Swami Aseemanand to depict what a sant could do.

Another resolution called for creation of "social harmony" in the Hindu society by removing evils like casteism and untouchability. Acharya Giriraj Kishore said this was as important as checking conversions because "the missionaries are exploiting the social inequalities in the Hindu society".