Author: P K Surendran
Publication: The Times of India
Date: November 2, 2002
URL: http://www1.timesofindia.com/cms.dll/xml/comp/articleshow?artid=27092901
The protest march last week in Punalur
of Kerala by Dalit Christians for intra-religious parity brought to light
the simmering discontent among the converts.
The marchers demanded that the mainstream
Christianity allow the Christian converts more freedom to manage their
affairs. The reference was more to temporal management rather than spiritual
salvation. Such protests have occasionally been taking place in many parts
of Kerala leading to split-and-grow syndrome of Christian denominations.
The official record, Kerala Gazette,
reveals the flux in the social milieu continues with some variation. If
earlier the flow was one- way, from Hindu to Christianity, a reverse flow
has been visible for some years.
The gazette, for instance, brings
to light an average of five reconversions of Christian converts to parental
Hindu fold.
This, say officials and clergymen,
is for cornering reservation rights.
A random check of the records shows
the flow is mainly from Nadar Christians to Hindu Nadars and from Catholic
Christian to Latin Catholic (backward).
Why are the converts still called
dalits? Ecclesiastical authorities say it is for ensuring them social justice.
The Christian converts are denied
the benefits available to other faiths like Sikhism, Buddhism, or Jainism,
points out Fr. James Culas of the Trivandrum Bishop House.
It is also true many converts still
keep their parental roots intact. It is their choice, he ventured.
But protesting leaders say they
are discriminated against. Jacob Job, one of the marchers, said the parental
Christian leadership allowed the converts little leeway in all affairs.
"We are still where we were years ago," he said.
The Hindu Mission, Shiv Sena and
Vishwa Hindu Parishad say that the converts remained socially challenged
in Christianity. "We are getting many requests from converts saying they
(converts) want to come back," says Sena unit chief M Bhuvanchandran.
The conversions had taken place
with the carrots of job, land, house and money, he contends.
When the converts find the promises
had been tall and realisation small, they come back. An anti-conversion
bill like that of Tamil Nadu will help stop making religion a mockery,
says Kummanon Rajasekharan, Parishad leader.
