It seems convent-school education is not just overrated but also a means of propagating forced conversion. My domestic help, Parvathy (name changed) discovered this appalling truth after she approached a local church for a recommendation letter for her son’s admissions in May.The Father (name withheld) of the church saw the opportunity of influencing a vulnerable Hindu family into ‘embracing’ Christianity on the pretext of ‘allowing’ school admission. “If you want school admission in that school, you and your husband should become Christians,” he said to my domestic help who was asked to approach the Church for a recommendation letter by the school where she wanted her son’s admission.
Parvathy was not only taken aback but was scared to further talk about school admission with anyone from the Church or the school.
The stories of forced conversions are not new across India but I never imagined it would be happening in my neighbourhood right in the middle of a posh locality such as Benson Town. The lone church on Nandidurga Road (Opposite to State Bank of Mysore) stands out for its stone exterior. The church however displays no name board outside it so I really don’t know the name of the church.
This incident has not only rattled my belief in convent school admission system but also my faith in the harmonious existence of Christian Missionaries in Bangalore. Last year there were spurts of violence related to religious conversions being ‘engineered’ by few missionaries and the heat was felt in Mangalore and Bangalore.
It seems like some missionaries have still not refrained from ‘forcing’ people to convert either on the pretext of poverty or school admission and god knows what else. Karnataka is yet to approve an ‘Anti-Conversion’ Law aimed mainly to curb religious conversions made by “force, fraud or allurement.” Such a law has already been adopted in states such as Orissa, Arunachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. Human rights groups are however opposed to such laws saying that this could be used by Hindu nationalists to harass Christians. I wonder what Human Rights Groups have to say about this despicable attempt by the Father of this church.
My husband and my mother-in-law have also studied in a Convent school and they couldn’t believe such a barter system existed of exchanging your faith for school education. I reminded them that in their case they were wealthy enough to give donations unlike Parvathy.
This attempt made by the Father of this church only shows how easy it could be to prey on any desperate (SC/ST) Hindu family for conversion. There is plenty of statistics available online on the number of forced conversions across India but I am glad Parvathy didn’t get added to that list. She returned home with her religion and dignity intact and she swears she will never think of Convent education for her sons ever again.
PS: Please do not take this post as a platform to instigate communal disharmony, nor am I against willful conversion. I am reporting a true incident and my comment is restricted to the particular action of this Church. I dont see how or why anyone should get offended on reading this blog. Kindly leave your comments wisely and unemotionally.
4 comments:
Every minority institution has to give first preference to minorities if it hopes to retain its minority status - this is the law. So if someone who doesnt belong to that minority community requires admission there - they will automatically become second preference. And the Arch Diocese requires every priest to only recommend thieir own parishoners (christians - catholics) since this is what they are there for. There is nothing illegal or immoral in that itself. The priest may only have been overzealous (since their vocation is to serve the Lord) and stated that if the child were to become his parishoner, he could recommed the child. There is no need to become overly sensitive to this. It may be against what you and i believe but India is a secular country where everyone is allowed to believe in and practice their own religion! This is for the ignorant few who take fanaticism of one kind or the other too far! :)
We are the educated lot - we should try to reduce the kind of fanaticism that leads to communal disharmony - not add to it! And we do need to get all facts right!
Also, knowing Parvathy (the domestic help in the incident) - both her sons are studying right now in a Convent School - and one of them will do so for at least another three years!
Sritha, if Parvathy's son was already in a convent school then why should the Church insist on her converting to Christianity?? Double standards dont you think?
My son studying in an anglo indian school came home and decalred he was hindu and worshipped Krishna. In a neutral environment at home, I was shocked and asked him why. He said apparently he was telling his christian friend in school about the cartoon he saw and how Krishna killed kalia (very innocent banter about TV show), and his friend told him that Krishna was the devil!
My son of course defended his hero, and took to actually standing up for him and labelling himself hindu bcos of it. It is touching kids,parents, teachers, leaders, ought to be careful about how they talk of other religions and respect everyone else's faith. God made us all the same way. We call him differently, that's all.
@Sirtha
Are you supporting the priest's actions?
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