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}\viewkind1\viewscale100\margl0\margr0\margt0\margb0\deftab80\dntblnsbdb\expshrt
n\paperw11340\paperh15300\pard\sb0\sl-240{\bkmkstart Pg1}{\bkmkend Pg1}\par\pard
\ql \li1052\sb0\sl-586\slmult0 \par\pard\ql\li1052\sb110\sl-586\slmult0 \up0 \ex
pndtw0\charscalex69 \ul0\nosupersub\cf10\f11\fs72 R\ul0\nosupersub\cf11\f12\fs48
eviews\par\pard\sect\sectd\sbknone\cols2\colno1\colw7492\colsr160\colno2\colw35
48\colsr160\ql \li850\sb294\sl-736\slmult0 \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex92 \ul0\nosu
persub\cf3\f4\fs64 Why Is Religious\par\pard\qj \li850\ri0\sb0\sl-640\slmult0 \u
p0 \expndtw0\charscalex92 Conversion Controversial \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscal
ex92 in India?\par\pard\ql \li4440\sb164\sl-218\slmult0 \up0 \expndtw-5\charscal
ex100 \ul0\nosupersub\cf1\f2\fs19 The Christian accommodation to Hindu\par\pard\
column \ql \li7652\sb0\sl-218\slmult0 \par\pard\ql \li20\sb216\sl-218\slmult0 \u
p0 \expndtw-2\charscalex100 beyond India in space. Conversions took\par\pard\qj
\li20\ri369\sb0\sl-206\slmult0 \up0 \expndtw-2\charscalex100 place all along in
India before the British \line \up0 \expndtw-4\charscalex100 period too, particu
larly since the Buddhist \line \up0 \expndtw-1\charscalex100 period. Even afte
r Muslims came and \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex101 Buddhism totally disapp
eared thanks to \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex100 the destruction of the Budd
hist monas-\line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex101 teries-cum-universities like Nalan
da by \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex100 Muslim invaders, conversion was not
\line \up0 \expndtw-3\charscalex100 posed as a philosophical, social or ethical
\line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex100 issue. India - both ancient and medieval \li
ne \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex101 - did have a tradition of heated debates,\par\pa
rd\sect\sectd\sbknone\cols3\colno1\colw4091\colsr160\colno2\colw3251\colsr160\co
lno3\colw3548\colsr160\ql \li850\sb0\sl-180\slmult0 \up0 \expndtw-1\charscalex10
0 \ul0\nosupersub\cf4\f5\fs20 In Search of Identity - Debates on\par\pard\qj \li
850\ri391\sb2\sl-220\slmult0 \up0 \expndtw-2\charscalex100 Religious Conversion
in India\ul0\nosupersub\cf5\f6\fs20 \ul0\nosupersub\cf6\f7\fs20 by \up0 \expndt
w-2\charscalex100 Sebastian C H Kim;\par\pard\qj \li850\ri100\sb3\sl-218\slmult0
\up0 \expndtw-1\charscalex100 Oxford University Press, Delhi, 2003; \up0 \expnd
tw-1\charscalex100 pp xi+250, Rs 525 (HB).\par\pard\ql \li850\sb0\sl-230\slmult0
\par\pard\ql \li850\sb136\sl-230\slmult0 \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex101 \ul0\nosu
persub\cf4\f5\fs20 M V N\ul0\nosupersub\cf7\f8\fs14 ADKARNI\par\pard\ql \li1224\
sb195\sl-218\slmult0 \up0 \expndtw-1\charscalex100 \ul0\nosupersub\cf1\f2\fs19 e

bates on religious conversion have\par\pard\column \ql \li20\sb1\sl-178\slmult0

\up0 \expndtw-1\charscalex100 criticism through \u8216?contextualisation\u8217?
by\par\pard\qj \li20\ri74\sb7\sl-205\slmult0 \up0 \expndtw-2\charscalex100 Prot
estants and \u8216?inculturation\u8217? by Catho-\line \up0 \expndtw-7\charscale
x100 lics and the problems caused by it are some \line \up0 \expndtw-3\charscale
x100 of the most interesting topics in the book. \line \up0 \expndtw-5\charscale
x100 The very attempt to reduce social distance \line \up0 \expndtw-1\charscalex
100 between Hindus and Christians led to \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex103
protests both from orthodox Christians \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex101 who
were afraid of assimilation into \line \up0 \expndtw-6\charscalex100 Hinduis
m and also from some of the newly \line \up0 \expndtw-2\charscalex100 converted
from the deprived classes who\par\pard\column \ql \li20\sb1\sl-201\slmult0 \up0
\expndtw-3\charscalex100 but conversion was never an issue till the\par\pard\qj
\li20\ri369\sb3\sl-205\slmult0 \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex102 Christian missionari
es came during the \up0 \expndtw-2\charscalex100 British period. This may look s
urprising, \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex102 because many times more Hindus were \up0
\expndtw-3\charscalex100 converted during the Muslim period. The \up0 \expndtw0
\charscalex100 author does not even raise this question, \up0 \expndtw0\charscal
ex102 let alone answer it.\par\pard\qj \li20\ri369\sb2\sl-205\slmult0\fi189 \up0
\expndtw0\charscalex101 Two factors, which combined during \line \up0 \expndtw2\charscalex100 the British period, must have contributed \line \up0 \expndtw-6\
charscalex100 to make the issue a matter of debate during\par\pard\sect\sectd\sb
knone\cols4\colno1\colw1287\colsr40\colno2\colw2824\colsr110\colno3\colw3251\col
sr160\colno4\colw3548\colsr160\ql \li850\sb0\sl-468\slmult0 \up0 \expndtw0\chars
calex95 \ul0\nosupersub\cf8\f9\fs52 D\par\pard\column \ql \li20\sb1\sl-207\slmul
t0 \up0 \expndtw-5\charscalex100 \ul0\nosupersub\cf1\f2\fs19 raged in India righ
t from the first half\par\pard\column \ql \li20\sb0\sl-171\slmult0 \up0 \expndtw
-1\charscalex100 were opposed to upper caste orientation.\par\pard\column \ql \l
i20\sb19\sl-171\slmult0 \up0 \expndtw-3\charscalex100 the last two centuries. Th
e first is the rise\par\pard\sect\sectd\sbknone\cols3\colno1\colw4091\colsr160\c
olno2\colw3251\colsr160\colno3\colw3548\colsr160\ql \li850\sb0\sl-171\slmult0 \u
p0 \expndtw0\charscalex102 of the 19th century and have continued\par\pard\qj \l
i850\ri72\sb0\sl-205\slmult0 \up0 \expndtw-1\charscalex100 todate. Since it is n
o longer a mere intel-\line \up0 \expndtw-3\charscalex100 lectual debate and the
issue of conversion \line \up0 \expndtw-2\charscalex100 has spoiled the relatio
ns between Hindus \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex103 on the one hand and Ch
ristians and \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex105 Muslims on the other, it needs
serious \line \up0 \expndtw-4\charscalex100 attention. The book is a welcome add
ition \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex100 to the current literature on the theme,
as \line \up0 \expndtw-1\charscalex100 it discusses dispassionately and in deta
il \line \up0 \expndtw-4\charscalex100 and with scholarly fairness, the argument
s \line \up0 \expndtw-2\charscalex100 on both sides right from the days of Ram \
line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex102 Mohun Roy up to the beginning of this \line \u
p0 \expndtw-4\charscalex100 century. In this debate only the Christians \line \u
p0 \expndtw-5\charscalex100 seem to have joined issue with the Hindus, \line \up
0 \expndtw-1\charscalex100 since Muslim participation in the debate \line \up0 \
expndtw0\charscalex111 is not audible in the book. It may be \line \up0 \expndtw
0\charscalex100 recalled, however, that Sir Syed Ahmed \line \up0 \expndtw-4\cha
rscalex100 was also opposed to Christian proselytism \line \up0 \expndtw0\charsc
alex102 in the 19th century.\par\pard\qj \li850\ri72\sb0\sl-205\slmult0\fi189 \u
p0 \expndtw0\charscalex101 The book is at a high scholastic level \line \up0 \ex
pndtw-1\charscalex100 and its usefulness is further enhanced by \line \up0 \expn
dtw-2\charscalex100 Appendices containing a summary of the \line \up0 \expndtw-6
\charscalex100 debate in the Constituent Assembly (1947-\line \up0 \expndtw-2\ch
arscalex100 49) on the issue, summary of recommen-\line \up0 \expndtw-3\charscal
ex100 dations of the Niyogi Committee Report, \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex10
1 the main provisions of the laws enacted \line \up0 \expndtw-3\charscalex100 in
Orissa (1967), Madhya Pradesh (1968) \line \up0 \expndtw-4\charscalex100 and Ar
unachal Pradesh (1978) to regulate \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex105 conversion
s, and the provisions of the \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex101 aborted bill in

parliament (1978) which \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex102 had intended to regul

ate conversions in \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex101 the country as a whole but
was dropped \line \up0 \expndtw-4\charscalex100 leaving the states free to enac
t legislations \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex101 to that effect. The author is
understand-\line \up0 \expndtw-1\charscalex100 ably silent on whether this
legislative \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex102 activity was effective at all in
checking \line \up0 \expndtw-4\charscalex100 conversions in practice in the thre
e states.\par\pard\column \ql \li20\sb0\sl-171\slmult0 \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex
103 The tragedy of Christian conversion in\par\pard\qj \li20\ri74\sb0\sl-206\slm
ult0\tx219 \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex102 India, which the author of the book has
\line \up0 \expndtw-3\charscalex100 pushed under the carpet, is that in accom-\l
ine \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex102 modating the interests and the status of \line
\up0 \expndtw-1\charscalex100 the converted elite, Christianity freely \line
\up0 \expndtw0\charscalex102 accommodated casteism too. This hap-\line \up0 \ex
pndtw0\charscalex103 pened in the case of Islam too in India. \line\tab \up0 \ex
pndtw-1\charscalex100 The most important question which \line \up0 \expndtw0
\charscalex107 bothers the author in the book is why \line \up0 \expndtw-4\chars
calex100 religious conversion is so controversial in \line \up0 \expndtw0\charsc
alex110 India. His answer in brief is that it is \line \up0 \expndtw-1\charscale
x100 because of the mismatch between the \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex101
perception of Hindus and that of Chris-\line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex102 tians
. Hinduism accepts all religions as \line \up0 \expndtw-5\charscalex100 equally
valid, with all of them offering the \line \up0 \expndtw-1\charscalex100 possibi
lity of salvation. Once oneness of \line \up0 \expndtw-2\charscalex100 god is co
nceded, there is no separate god \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex103 for Muslims,
Christians and Hindus. If \line \up0 \expndtw-1\charscalex100 both these propos
itions are accepted, at-\line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex105 tempts to convert fro
m one religion to \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex100 another are taken as signs
of aggression \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex101 and intolerance. This is the Hi
ndu case. \line \up0 \expndtw-4\charscalex100 The Christian case on the other ha
nd rests \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex104 on the right to freedom of religion
and \line \up0 \expndtw-1\charscalex100 conscience, which explicitly and insepa\line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex102 rably includes the right to convert. The \lin
e \up0 \expndtw-6\charscalex100 right to convert is part of Christianity itself
\line \up0 \expndtw-6\charscalex100 and if this right is not conceded, it amount
s \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex102 to intolerance. These are irreconcilable \l
ine \up0 \expndtw-5\charscalex100 positions and the author concludes that the \l
ine \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex101 debate will continue without either side \line
\up0 \expndtw0\charscalex102 yielding to the other.\par\pard\qj \li20\ri74\sb0\s
l-207\slmult0\fi189 \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex101 I think that this philosophical
answer \line \up0 \expndtw-4\charscalex100 is not adequate and lacks both a his
torical \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex100 and spatial dimension. To really answ
er \line \up0 \expndtw-6\charscalex100 the question in full, the author should h
ave \line \up0 \expndtw-6\charscalex100 gone beyond the British period in time a
nd\par\pard\column \ql \li20\sb0\sl-171\slmult0 \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex100 of
Hindu consciousness, and the second\par\pard\qj \li20\ri368\sb0\sl-205\slmult0\t
x219 \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex104 is the emergence of conversion \ul0\nosupers
ub\cf9\f10\fs19 as an \line \up0 \expndtw-5\charscalex100 option\ul0\nosupersub\
cf1\f2\fs19 , rather than a matter of \ul0\nosupersub\cf9\f10\fs19 compulsion\ul
0\nosupersub\cf1\f2\fs19 . \line\tab \up0 \expndtw-1\charscalex100 Though during
the days of dominance\par\pard\qj \li20\ri368\sb0\sl-206\slmult0 \up0 \expndtw0
\charscalex100 of Buddhism, conversion was an option \line \up0 \expndtw-1\chars
calex100 and not a matter of political compulsion, \line \up0 \expndtw-6\charsca
lex100 there was no Hindu consciousness as such. \line \up0 \expndtw-4\charscale
x100 The line of distinction between Buddhists \line \up0 \expndtw-4\charscalex1
00 and Hindus (or, those following \u8216?sanatana \line \up0 \expndtw-3\charsca
lex100 dharma\u8217?) was very thin and unclear, even \line \up0 \expndtw0\chars
calex102 if theologically the line was clearer. \line \up0 \expndtw-2\chars
calex100 Socially, Hindus and Buddhists were not \line \up0 \expndtw-3\charscale
x100 distinct communities. During the Muslim \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex102

period, a separate identity of Hindus as \line \up0 \expndtw-2\charscalex100 Hin

dus developed gradually and came in \line \up0 \expndtw-7\charscalex100 sharp fo
cus during certain periods as during \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex100 the peri
od of Sikh Gurus and of Shivaji. \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex102 Though Hindu
s and Muslims were dis-\line \up0 \expndtw-6\charscalex100 tinct communities, th
ere was a lot of social \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex101 inter-mixture and i
nteraction between \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex100 them. However, the reason
why conver-\line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex100 sion was not an issue of debate w
as that \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex101 conversion then was not in the realm
of \line \up0 \expndtw-7\charscalex100 an option freely exercised, but was a mat
ter \line \up0 \expndtw-3\charscalex100 of political, economic and social compul
-\line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex108 sion. A large number of Hindus were \line \u
p0 \expndtw-1\charscalex100 converted to Islam in the context of con-\line \up0
\expndtw0\charscalex100 quests, or to avoid paying the heavy tax \line \up0 \exp
ndtw-1\charscalex100 of jizia. When a matter is not one of free \line \up0 \expn
dtw-3\charscalex100 choice, an intellectual debate may appear \line \up0 \expndt
w-4\charscalex100 meaningless. But it was during the British \line \up0 \expndtw
0\charscalex101 period that both these factors combined \line \up0 \expndtw-2\ch
arscalex100 resulting in sensitiveness to conversions. \line \up0 \expndtw-1\cha
rscalex100 By then Hindu consciousness had devel-\line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex
100 oped and matured thanks particularly to \line \up0 \expndtw-3\charscalex100
the Renaissance leaders like Ram Mohun \line \up0 \expndtw-1\charscalex100 Roy,
Swami Vivekanand, Tilak, Gandhi \par\pard\sect\sectd\sbknone \li852\sb102\sl-276
\slmult0\fi0\tx6886 \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex102 \ul0\nosupersub\cf2\f3\fs24 156
2\tab \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex102 \ul0\nosupersub\cf1\f2\fs19 Economic and Poli
tical Weekly April 19, 2003
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{\shp {\*\shpinst\shpleft2585\shptop1405\shpright10764\shpbottom1405\shpfhdr0\sh
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}}\par\pard\sect\sectd\fs24\paperw11340\paperh15300\pard\sb0\sl-240{\bkmkstart P
g2}{\bkmkend Pg2}\par\pard\sect\sectd\sbknone\cols2\colno1\colw3792\colsr160\col
no2\colw7248\colsr160\ql \li565\sb0\sl-218\slmult0 \par\pard\ql \li565\sb0\sl-21
8\slmult0 \par\pard\ql \li565\sb116\sl-218\slmult0 \up0 \expndtw-2\charscalex100
\ul0\nosupersub\cf1\f2\fs19 and Aurobindo. All of them, while trying\par\pard\q
l \li565\ri29\sb0\sl-206\slmult0\tx755\tx755 \up0 \expndtw-6\charscalex100 to pu
rge Hinduism of its evils, also showed \line \up0 \expndtw-4\charscalex100 that
the basic core of Hinduism was some-\line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex101 thing of
which one can feel quite proud. \line \up0 \expndtw-1\charscalex100 Secondly, it
is to the credit of the British \line \up0 \expndtw-2\charscalex100 that they d

id not impose Christianity as a \line \up0 \expndtw-2\charscalex100 matter of co

mpulsion on Hindus, and left \line \up0 \expndtw-3\charscalex100 it mainly as a
matter of choice. They may \line \up0 \expndtw-2\charscalex100 have indirectly t
ried to make Christianity \line \up0 \expndtw-2\charscalex100 more attractive, b
ut their rule was by and \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex100 large non-partisan a
nd secular. \line\tab \up0 \expndtw-3\charscalex100 The same conclusion is obtai
ned if one \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex101 goes beyond the spatial limit of I
ndia in \line \up0 \expndtw-1\charscalex100 answering the question. Why is relig
ious \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex104 conversion not controversial, say, i
n \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex102 Pakistan, Bangladesh, or Saudi Arabia? \lin
e \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex100 Simply because, conversion is not avail-\line \up
0 \expndtw0\charscalex104 able as choice, and apostasy can invite \line \up0 \ex
pndtw0\charscalex107 death as punishment. There can be no \line \up0 \expndtw0\c
harscalex109 debate on this. We may also ask why \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex
100 religious conversion is not so controver-\line \up0 \expndtw-4\charscalex100
sial in the US or Europe, where in contrast \line \up0 \expndtw-1\charscalex100
to Muslim countries, conversion is avail-\line \up0 \expndtw-8\charscalex96 abl
e as a choice, but is controversial in India. \line \up0 \expndtw-4\charscalex10
0 It is not difficult to answer this question if \line \up0 \expndtw-3\charscale
x100 one does not forget how India was broken \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex106
apart into two countries, only because \line \up0 \expndtw-3\charscalex100 Musl
ims - at least a large section of them \line \up0 \expndtw-5\charscalex100 - wa
nted a separate country for themselves \line \up0 \expndtw-8\charscalex100 on th
e basis of a separate nationality, though \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex101 mos
t them were descendents of Hindus. \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex101 When a Chr
istian population becomes a \line \up0 \expndtw-4\charscalex100 majority in a gi
ven region, there also there \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex108 is a tendency of
a separatist and even \line \up0 \expndtw-4\charscalex100 militant movement. Wi
th this background, \line \up0 \expndtw-1\charscalex100 is it any surprise t
hat Hindus become \line \up0 \expndtw-5\charscalex100 concerned about conversi
ons? The US and \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex104 modern Europe have not so far
at least \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex100 faced such a situation. Consciousne
ss of \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex101 threat to identity on religious lines o
r to \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex100 national integrity is not acute among th
e \line \up0 \expndtw-2\charscalex100 majority there so far. When Europe faced \
line \up0 \expndtw-1\charscalex100 the problem of \u8216?other\u8217? religi
on in the \line \up0 \expndtw-3\charscalex100 medieval period, it showed far m
ore ruth-\line \up0 \expndtw-4\charscalex100 lessness and ferocity and on a much
vaster \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex102 scale than ever shown by Hindus. \lin
e\tab \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex103 One may argue that poverty, hunger, \line \up
0 \expndtw0\charscalex101 illiteracy and economic backwardness \line \up0 \ex
pndtw-5\charscalex100 should have been more important concerns \line \up0 \expnd
tw-6\charscalex100 in India than religious conversions. Indeed, \line \up0 \expn
dtw-1\charscalex100 the former are more important. But what \line \up0 \expndtw5\charscalex100 if our poverty, hunger and illness are taken \line \up0 \expndtw
-3\charscalex100 advantage of in the name of humanitarian \line \up0 \expndtw0\c
harscalex100 work to convert the poor in their vulner-\line \up0 \expndtw-5\char
scalex100 able and gullible situations? Moreover, are \line \up0 \expndtw-4\char
scalex100 Christian and Muslim populations free - at \line \up0 \expndtw-6\chars
calex100 least relatively free - from poverty, hunger, \line \up0 \expndtw0\char
scalex101 casteism, etc, as compared to the Hindu \line \up0 \expndtw-2\charscal
ex100 population? Should the former not attend \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex10
1 to poverty amidst their own populations \line \up0 \expndtw-7\charscalex100 ra
ther than to conversion of the poor among \line \up0 \expndtw-6\charscalex100 th
e Hindus? If poverty alleviation is sought \line \up0 \expndtw-7\charscalex100 a
fter for its own sake on humanitarian grou-\line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex100 nd
s, then why bother about conversion?\par\pard\column \ql \li565\sb0\sl-218\slmul
t0 \par\pard\ql \li565\sb0\sl-218\slmult0 \par\pard\ql \li212\sb116\sl-218\slmul
t0 \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex100 Kim points out to the non-availability\par\pard\
qj \li20\ri4040\sb0\sl-205\slmult0\tx222\tx222 \up0 \expndtw-6\charscalex100 of

positive discrimination (reservation, etc) \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex102 to

scheduled caste and tribe converts to \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex102 Islam
and Christianity as an instance of \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex100 Hindu into
lerance. Kim, it seems, wants \line \up0 \expndtw-1\charscalex100 to eat the cak
e and have it too. If conver-\line \up0 \expndtw-3\charscalex100 sion is suppose
d to remove the Hindu evil \line \up0 \expndtw-1\charscalex100 of casteism and t
hereby end social depri-\line \up0 \expndtw-6\charscalex100 vation, how can ther
e be a case for positive \line \up0 \expndtw-7\charscalex100 discrimination for
those who are converted? \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex101 If conversion does n
ot end casteism and \line \up0 \expndtw-2\charscalex100 social deprivation, then
why employ con-\line \up0 \expndtw-8\charscalex100 version as a tool and fish i
n troubled waters? \line\tab \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex106 While the right to pra
ctise and even \line \up0 \expndtw-7\charscalex100 propagate one\u8217?s faith i
s admittedly a human \line \up0 \expndtw-2\charscalex100 right, right to convert
is not, as was clari-\line \up0 \expndtw-3\charscalex100 fied by the Supreme Co
urt in 1979 and as \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex101 referred to by Kim himself
(pp 80-81). \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex101 What is more important at this
stage for \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex100 communal harmony is to create an e
nvi-\line \up0 \expndtw-5\charscalex100 ronment in which followers of one religi
on \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex102 can understand other religions and their \
line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex101 principles, without the complications of \line
\up0 \expndtw-1\charscalex100 conversion. Conversion only vitiates this \line \
up0 \expndtw-4\charscalex100 environment and creates tensions. As Kim \line \up0
\expndtw-7\charscalex100 points out, even Christianity has now grace-\line \up0
\expndtw-3\charscalex100 fully admitted that salvation is possible in \line \up
0 \expndtw-6\charscalex100 other religions too (pp 147-48). This brings \line \u
p0 \expndtw-1\charscalex100 Christians close to Hindus and should \line \up
0 \expndtw0\charscalex106 remove tensions between them if they \line \up0 \expnd
tw-5\charscalex100 follow the logical course of giving up their \line \up0 \expn
dtw0\charscalex103 obsession with conversion. Hindus can \line \up0 \expndtw-6\c
harscalex100 then develop a natural reverence for Christ. \line \up0 \expndtw0\c
harscalex100 His preaching of love and service to hu-\line \up0 \expndtw0\charsc
alex107 manity are already an inherent part of \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex10
1 Hinduism. Similarly Christians can also \line \up0 \expndtw-8\charscalex97 dev
elop respect for Vedanta and Yoga, with-\line \up0 \expndtw-6\charscalex100 out
having to become Hindus. Such mutual \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex101 respect
and understanding is possible, if \line \up0 \expndtw-1\charscalex100 the agenda
of conversion is withdrawn. \line\tab \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex102 The real cha
llenge before the Hindus \line \up0 \expndtw-1\charscalex100 today is not so muc
h one of conversions, \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex106 as of retaining their h
istorically tested \line \up0 \expndtw-4\charscalex100 tolerant and nonviolent c
haracter of living \line \up0 \expndtw-7\charscalex100 amicably with pluralism a
nd diversity, even \line \up0 \expndtw-1\charscalex100 while resisting aggressio
n from other re-\line \up0 \expndtw-1\charscalex100 ligions. Whatever be the pro
vocation, no \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex103 civilised society should indulge
in law-\line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex100 lessness and insane cruelty.\par\pard
\qj \li20\ri4040\sb0\sl-206\slmult0\fi191 \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex102 I do not
intend to summarise the ar-\line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex108 guments on both
sides on the issue of \line \up0 \expndtw-4\charscalex100 conversion, presented
chronologically and \line \up0 \expndtw-4\charscalex100 faithfully in Kim\u8217?
s admirable book. To do \line \up0 \expndtw-1\charscalex100 justice to them will
take several pages. It \line \up0 \expndtw-2\charscalex100 is better that reade
rs go through the book \line \up0 \expndtw-3\charscalex100 itself, which they wi
ll find interesting and \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex104 rewarding. Though I h
ad only recently \line \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex105 written on the theme of conv
ersions in \line \up0 \expndtw-4\charscalex100 \ul0\nosupersub\cf9\f10\fs19 EPW\
ul0\nosupersub\cf1\f2\fs19
(January 18, 2003), I had not raised \line \up0 \e
xpndtw-2\charscalex100 this question of why religious conversion \line \up0 \exp
ndtw0\charscalex102 was so controversial in India. I am glad \line \up0 \expndtw
0\charscalex100 that Kim\u8217?s educative book raised this \line \up0 \exp

ndtw0\charscalex101 question and gave me an opportunity of \line \up0 \expndtw-3

\charscalex100 adding something to his answer.\ul0\nosupersub\cf12\f13\fs16 EPW
\par\pard\sect\sectd\sbknone \li565\sb0\sl-276\slmult0\par\pard\li565\sb161\sl-2
76\slmult0\fi0\tx10024 \dn2 \expndtw0\charscalex102 \ul0\nosupersub\cf1\f2\fs19
Economic and Political Weekly April 19, 2003\tab \up0 \expndtw0\charscalex102
\ul0\nosupersub\cf2\f3\fs24 1563
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