News reported in many
newspapers like TOI [Link]
tells that 72 people have joined Hinduism back, i.e. reconverted into their original
faith in Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh state of India. These Hindus had been
converted into Christians in the year 1995 and this news speaks about a trend
where people have been becoming more aware of the realities and the politics
behind missionaries influenced religious conversions.
A purification ceremony
was conducted for these people and afterwards there are news reports that the
building which they were using as Church has also been converted into a Hindu
temple with portrait of Lord Shiva installed in it.
Khem Chandra, Sangh
pracharak and pramukh of Dharam Jagran Vivad in Aligarh said, "This is
called ghar wapasi, not conversion. They left by choice and today they have
realized their mistake and want to come back. We welcome them. We can't let our
samaj scatter, we have to hold it tight. I have told them that honour comes
from within the community and not from outside."
Anil, one of those
who returned to Hinduism said, ".. We found ourselves in no better position
among Christians. As Hindus we had no status and were restricted to doing
menial jobs, but even after remaining a Christian for 19 years, we saw that no
one came to us from their community. There was no celebration of Bada Din
(Christmas). The missionaries just built a church for us in the vicinity where
some of the villagers got married. That was all."
Another such person, Rajendra
said, "While sleeping outside the church one day I suffered a paralytic
attack. I found myself unable to move. It happened last year and since then I
have been thinking that it may have been Mata Devi's punishment for abandoning
my faith".
This news is good
news and if this becomes a trend everywhere, where people who have been coerced
into joining other faiths for whatever reason return to the faith of their
forefathers, it speaks of developing self-confidence and increased awareness in
our society. Let truth prevail!
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