Protest Against Religious Conversion in Karnataka - AsaramJi Bapu and his struggle against conversion forces in Tribal regions of India

Attack on Hinduism is something that has been happening in our country for too long now. On many instances these ugly cases of religious zealousness has come to fore, unfortunately the missionaries overstay their welcome and take undue advantage of our religious tolerance and get to their dirty handiwork of religious conversion. Time and again these Christian groups have targeted tribal belts of the nation and sought to convert them using means that cannot be vouched for. Monetary enticements and unfulfilled promises are what these poor folks are offered and for the lack of better judgment and economical strength they fall into the traps laid by missionaries.

Among several states in our country, the south Indian state of Karnataka has an active anti-conversion law that ensures individuals here can carry on practising their religion freely, but in blatant disregard to these laws Christian missionaries are carrying on their conversions unabated. The logic Christian zealots offer for their forceful conversions are ridiculous. Some claim conversion helps backward classes in overcoming financial hurdles. In reality, the poor ignorant Hindu families that convert under pressure are given a lump sum amount and set up for bank loans! We wonder how an uneducated person is expected to return loan amounts. The reality behind these hollow claims is a vicious cycle of poverty. If these missionaries were so concerned about the betterment of backward classes they should have followed the example of Sant Shree AsaramJi Bapu by giving them education and a steady source of livelihood.

The Christian missionaries have a big target base. By estimates, 8.6% of 1.2 billion Indians are tribal and unfortunately uneducated. It is easy to lure them away from their religion on the pretext of good life and financial independence. This has been going on all over the nation and if statistics were to be drawn, we would have seen the falsity of missionaries. Thanks to the wonderful work carried out by revered AsaramJi Bapu in these tribal belts, missionaries have largely failed in their goals and whenever their dirty work come to light, they are quick to lay the blame at the door of saints and Hindu organizations calling them religious terrorists!

One such shameful incident has come to light once again in Karnataka where the Girijana Kriya Koota tribal welfare group has filed complaint against conversions recently. It is necessary that we understand and appreciate the great work of philanthropy done unto mankind by His Holiness AsaramJi Bapu. Without his selfless service and sacrifices and struggle against the illegal conversion of minorities in India these poor people would have been propelled into the dark cycle of debts and loans, in short AsaramJi Bapu saved them from being slaves under banks!