Hindu groups in India are planning to launch a nationwide campaign to curb religious conversion, which they claim is a form of violence and a crime.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its affiliate Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) say religious conversion is rampant in tribal-dominated areas and they plan to bring those converted back to the Hindu fold.
But their claims brought a swift rebuttal from Christian leaders.
“The Catholic Church in India does not promote or propagate religious conversion and, as the RSS and VHP claim that it does, then let them prove it,” Fr Nicholas Barla, secretary of the Indian Catholic bishops’ Commission for Tribal Affairs, told UCA News.
“From time to time, those groups blame us for conversion, but there is no record of any religious conversion where the Church is involved, so there is no question of reconversion.”
Sajan K. George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians, said the RSS and VHP aim “to spread hate against Christians, thereby germinating the seeds of an anti-Christian mindset”.
Meanwhile, VHP spokesperson Vinod Bansal said the group and RSS workers will conduct door-to-door visits in tribal areas to educate people about the Hindu religion.