Conversion an evil tool in the hands of Abrahamic Religions: Milind Parande

 

 

Chennai, Apr 1: Launching a frontal attack on those indulging in religious conversions, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) Central Secretary-General Milind Parande observed that conversion has become an evil tool in the hands of Abrahamic Religions (i.e. Christianity and Islam) and accused them of using money and muscle power to trap people in the name of propagation of their faith and converting them to their religions.

 

Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Parande said that these conversions either by force, intimidation, or allurements have resulted in the breaking of families forcing the children and elders in the families to undergo severe psychological stress leading to irreversible mental health problems and creating animosity in the tranquil society.

 

Recalling the heart-breaking incident of death of a student M Lavanya who allegedly underwent unbearable torture at the hands of her school and hostel management staff nuns) with the support of St. Fatima etc. Parande said that this sad incident was just a small drop in the huge ocean of evil of conversion.

 

He said that these conversion activities injected anti-national sentiments in those who embrace the new religion besides creating an anti-Hindu sentiment and aiding the anti-India ecosystem. He said that these forces indulged in conversions in collaboration with the anti-India forces abroad and enjoy financial support. With this logistic support, they could cause India to splinter into religious dominions if not checked in time with stringent anti-conversion laws.

 

Referring to Islamist terror activities Parande said that the conversion activities give support to such anti-India activities and urged the Tamil Nadu government to enact legislation in this aspect and act with a true secular mindset to curb anti-India and anti-Hindu activities in the name of the conversion.

 

 

The VHP Secretary-General said that the government cannot be the owner of the temples. The Hindu Endowment Act of Tamil Nadu 22/1959 clearly states that the government can only be an External Auditor of the temples and not manage the day-to-day functions.

 

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad of North Tamil Nadu passed a resolution urging the government to keep its hands off the temple and its properties so that the government can keep their hands on the temples and their properties and let the temples be managed by a board of trustees who are from the Hindu Society and a practicing Hindus.

 

The governments and the courts of law can have some minimal necessary roles. This resolution asks the Tamil Nadu Government to stop using the funds of the Temples for other activities like constructing Fish Markets, Colleges, Schools, Government cultural activities and use it only for the Temple's well-being and to manage facilities for its visiting devotees. Thousands of temples in Tamil Nadu which are currently under the Tamil Nadu Government’s HR&CE department are not managed properly and have been under large-scale neglect and many of these temples are in dilapidated conditions. Hence these funds should be used only for the following:

 

1. Renovate dilapidated temples in Tamil Nadu and conduct samprokshanams / kumbabishekams

2. Conduct at least one daily pooja in these temples.

3. Build Vedha Pata Shalas and provide funds to existing Vedha Pata Shalas.

4. Conduct Temple Festivals.

5. Create Temple Yatras and facilities for the yatris.

6. Temple funds should be used for the welfare and uplift of struggling Temple Poojaries and Agama Pandits.

 

 

VHP strongly condemned the DMK managed government in Tamil Nadu to stop the illegal Temple demolition spree, the demolition drive in the name of demolishing illegal construction, and after devotees seeking legal protection for the temple, have gone ahead and demolished temples that are on legal premises and been in existence over 50-100 years.

 

 

There are many instances in Tamil Nadu, where Mosques, Churches, and Madarassas, have been constructed illegally and using corrupt practices on the Government Lands, in water catchment areas, by encroaching waterways, and on Government maeikkal poromboke lands. The VHP demanded the Tamil Nadu Government that such structures be brought down with utmost sincerity and retrieve precious valuable lands from the land encroachers in the name of religion and stop anti-national activities allegedly being conducted from those illegally constructed structures.

 

 

The VHP plans to hold a meeting of seers and sages at Madurai in the month of June 2022. The meeting likely to be held on 4-5 June 2022, will be attended by seers, sages, and religious gurus of various Hindu traditions across the country.

Similarly, the all-India conference of the VHP will also be held at the ancient temple town of Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu from 23rd to 26th June 2022. All office-bearers of VHP will participate in this meeting to discuss strategies and future plans.