ಅರ್ಚಬಿಶೋಪ್ ಮತ್ತು ಮತಾಂತರ

"ಎರಡು ಸಾವಿರದ ವರ್ಷದ ಹಿಂದೆ ಏಸುವು ಜೆರುಸಲೆಮಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಚರ್ಚ್ ಅನ್ನು ಜೂಜುಕೋರರಿನ್ದ ಮುಕ್ತಗೊಳಿಸಿದರೆಈಗ ಪೊಲೀಸರು ಕ್ರೈಸ್ತರನ್ನು ಚರ್ಚ್ ನಿಂದ ಹೊರಗೆ ಕಳಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ " ಎಂದು ಆರ್ಕ್ ಬಿಶೋಪ್ ವಿಷಾದಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಆದರೆ, ಭಾನುವಾರದಂದು ಕ್ರೈಸ್ತರು ಪ್ರತಿಭಟನೆ ಹೆಸರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಚರ್ಚ್ ಕಟ್ಟಡದ ಆಶ್ರಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಪುಂಡಾಟಿಕೆ ನಡೆಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು. ಅ ಕಾರಣಕ್ಕಾಗಿಯೇ ಪೊಲೀಸರು ಕ್ರಮ ಕೈಗೊಳ್ಳಬೇಕಾಯಿತು. "ನನ್ನ ಮನೆ ಪ್ರಾಥನೆಗಷ್ಟೇ ಇದೆ - ಪುಂಡಾಟಿಕೆಗಲ್ಲ" ಎ೦ಬ ಏಸುವಿನ ಹೇಳಿಕೆಗೆ ಅನುಗುಣವಾಗಿಯೇ ಪೊಲೀಸರು ಕ್ರಮ ಕೈಗೊಂಡಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಶ್ರೀ. ಬಿಶಪ್ಪರು ಅದಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ಪೊಲೀಸರಿಗೆ ಮತ್ತು ಸರ್ಕಾರಕ್ಕೆ ಕೃತಜ್ಞರಾಗಿರಬೇಕು. ಮತ್ತು ತಮ್ಮ ಅನುಯಾಯಿಗಳು ಏಕೆ ತಪ್ಪು ದಾರಿ ಹಿಡಿದಿದ್ದಾರೆ ಎ೦ದು ವಿಮರ್ಶಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳಬೇಕು.

ಮತಾಂತರ ಬಲಾತ್ಕಾರದಿಂದ ಅಥವಾ ಆಮಿಷದಿಂದ ಮಾಡಬಾರದು ಎ೦ದು ಹೇಳುತ್ತಲೇ, ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಮಟ್ಟಿನ ಜೀವನ ಶೈಲಿಯ ಬದಲಾವಣೆಗೆ ಅವಕಾಶವಿದೆ ಎಂಬ ಅರ್ಥದ ಮಾತುಗಳನ್ನು ಅಡಿರುವುದು ವಿಷಾದನಿಯ. ರಾಜಕೀಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಅಮಿಶಗಳಿಲ್ಲವೇ ಎ೦ದು ಕೇಳಿರುವುದಂತೂ ಹಾಸ್ಯಾಸ್ಪದ. ಒರಿಸ್ಸಾ ರಾಜ್ಯ ದಲ್ಲಿ ಮರು ಮತಾಂತರ ಬಲಾತ್ಕಾರದ್ದು ಎಂದು ಹೇಳಿರುವುದು ಬಿಶೋಪ್ ಅವರ ಇಬ್ಬಂದಿತಾಣಕ್ಕೆ ಸಾಕ್ಷಿ.

Media bias and religious violence

In the last one month, several incidents of attack on Ganesha immersion procession are reported from different parts of India. Normally, these incidents are reported as a petty quarrel between two miscreant groups. They are considered as local isolated incidents and given less prominence in the media coverage. Attacks on minority communities, even smaller ones, during the same period have received prominent coverage in the public space.

Ganesha immersion procession was attacked in Gangondahalli Main Road in Chandra Layout, Bangalore on 21st Sept by some Muslim worshippers. They threw stones and pieces of meat into the procession. Around 5.30 p.m. the procession, which was taking five Ganesha idols to be immersed in a nearby tank, met with resistance. When the procession crossed a place of worship, those praying inside took objection to the disturbance caused by the procession. Three persons were injured. Members of the procession demanded immediate action from the police. [Ref]

In Vadodara, on 16th September, a Ganesha idol immersion procession was attacked. At least one person was killed and 20 others were injured in police firing and stone throwing. Trouble started late Sunday night after attack on the idol immersion procession at Fatehpura, people from both communities gathered in the area and threw stones, injuring about 15 people, including four policemen. Warring groups continued to throw stones at each other in the Fatehpura locality. An indefinite curfew was clamped in the areas under the Fatehpura police station.[Ref]

On 11th Sept, in Tiruvarur, 16th annual Vinayaka Chathurthi procession was attacked. When the procession passed through Kalladikollai, Jambhavanodai Dargah and Azadnagar and reached the New Pallivasal near Old Bus Stand, a voice uttered the words “Rioters are coming. Gather to prevent them,” through the loud-speaker. Then some people hrew stones and chappals at the police and on the processionists. To bring the situation under control, police resorted to a mild lathicharge, leading to injuries to three persons. The people inside the Pallivasal dispersed. When the procession resumed and approached Kuttiyar Pallivasal, a group of about 20 armed persons came on the scene. However, the police dispersed them. [Ref]

On Sept 8th, people from Muslim community resorted to stone pelting during the Ganesh visarjan (immersion) procession in Bharuch. The incident occurred when a procession from Ghikhudia area in Bharuch was obstructed by minority community near a religious place in Bahar ni Undai area, who complained about loud music being played by the procession. The situation turned ugly when some police officials were attacked and the mob started pelting stones. Apart from lobbing two teargas shells, the police also fired a round in the air to disperse the irate mob. A police motorcycle was also damaged and the mob also tried to snatch away a rifle from a policeman. At least six persons were injured in the clash. The police lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the mob. [Ref]

On September 5, in Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, five hundred members of various Muslim organisations were detained on Friday when they attempted to block a procession of immersion of Lord Vinayaka idols. The trouble broke out when members of the organisations, including Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam, attempted to stop the procession near a mosque and miscreants pelted stones. Police made a lathicharge and took the protesters into custody. A police constable was injured in stone-pelting. Tension prevailed in the area where 1,500 policemen had been deployed in view of its sensitive nature.[Ref]

Media Watch: How letters are published in The Hindu?

It is true that The Hindu always gives preference to those letters that supports it's view-point. In this case also it published more letters condemning the Hindu organizations than those which criticized the Christian activities. Once I had asked the Hindu to state how many letters were received `for' and how many `against' Sonia Gandhi becoming Prime Minister? Because, there were more number of letters published `for' than `against'. The Hindu was for obviously reasons had published more letters which were `for'. I had written that a newspaper should not brainwash it's readers.

Out of 3 letters submitted only one was published as a truncated and altered version. I am reproducing below these letters.
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Submitted The Hindu 3 Aug 2008 (Not published)
Many letters that appeared in the Hindu have repeated the Government version that the assassination of the Swami and others was committed by the Maoists and the Christians have been wrongly targeted. But the Maoists have put up posters in the area disclaiming their involvement. There is long standing feud between Hindus and the Christians on the issue of conversion and therefore insolvent of communal Christian extremists in the killing of the Swamiji is suspected. This is not to justify the attack on Christians and their properties which is reprehensible. Instead of indulging in blame game the affected communities should put their heads together to get at the root of the problem and find solution to bring long standing peace in the area.
A.Gajanana, Bangalore

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Submitted on 30th Aug 2008 (Not published)
Some 45000 Catholic educational institutions throughout India were closed on Friday to protest against attacks on Christians in the Orissa violence. People would have appreciated a catholic protest against all killings including those of the Swamiji and 4 others. The Catholic institutions have a reputation in the education field. But they should not be misused for furthering religious interests in the country.
A.Gajanana,
Bangalore

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PUBLISHED
THE HINDU 29 AUG 2008
What triggered the violence was the reaction of the local population to the killing of the VHP leader. Alleged attempts to change the tribal culture through religious conversions are another reason for the resentment of locals to Christian missionaries. Therefore, the mere condemnation of the VHP, without going into the reasons for the violence, will not help to restore normality in the State.
A. Gajanana,
Bangalore

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Orissa Missionary Activities

Missionary activity details - as told by Swami Lakshmananda Saraswati, who was recently killed in Orissa by miscreants backed by alleged Christian Missionary[Ref].

In Orissa, with Christian numbers increasing, they forcefully took away Hindu girls and forced the neo-converts to eat beef. They set several temples on fire. Birupakhya Mahadev´s temple or temple at Malarimaha or Ashram at Rupagoan, the Christians conspired to set them on fire. They threw mortal remains of cows on mandirs. Kondh tribal´s Goddess Dharani Mata´s places of worship in several villages were dishonoured. The sacred sword at a temple at Bramhanigaon was forcibly taken away by the converts who melted the sword in public and prepared their weapons with that looted material.

In fact one entire village was converted to Christianity. They serve medicines claiming it to be the prasad of Jesus. After gaining confidence of the converts on a large scale, they cheat the people. Church is rearing many boys and girls in their orphanages. In the last so many decades the children who have grown up in such orphanages. There is an allegation that they are sold at a price to foreign nationals.

The Kandh tribal community treats trees as their God. They do not cut forests out of fear viewings it as Adharma. But Christian Padres on their own cut one tree after the other saying that worshippers of Jesus can cut trees and no harm comes to them.

Congress Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, Radhakanta Nayak is being projected as the leader of the Christians in the locality; what is being consciously hidden from public gaze is that this Christian also heads World Vision in India. World Vision is notorious for pumping money into India for religious conversion and their shenanigans in the conversion industry in the aftermath of the tsunami is well-known but equally well hidden from public discourse. In a known incidence, a lady who was Annalakshmi before tsunami was converted and named as Anna Marie after tsunami. World Vision is one of the top donors to NGOs in India and World Vision India one of the top ten recipients of funds for Christian missionary activity.

In Chennai an insolent ugly church is fast coming up right opposite the revered Pamban Swamy temple in Besant Nagar, Chennai. This church was until not long ago only a small thatched roof prayer house which came up overnight in a predominantly Hindu locality. This is the modus operandi of Churches and Christians of all denominations — put up a small prayer house in the middle of a Hindu locality, close to a temple and after a few years of missionary activity, transform the prayer house into a big church. Foreign money is being pumped into churches in India to erect insolent symbols of the church in a systematic way.