a contextual missiology of the spirit - eTheses Repository ...

Such a call was questioned even by many Indian historians like K.N. Panikkar. In
Frontline, a leading National Magazine in India, he writes
The response of Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee, who is considered a good man
and a liberal by many, was the most devious. By calling for a public debate on
conversions, he suggests that the blame, in fact, rests with the victims. His move
is a veiled threat to individual freedom, guaranteed in the Constitution after
extended discussion in the Constituent Assembly. 105
There was a similar call for dialogue in September 2008 on the issue of
conversion by Advani, another prominent leader of BJP. The Hindu reports his
comment in the context of the ongoing religious oppression against Christians in
Orissa. He advocated that the ‘time has come for a free and frank democratic
debate and inter-faith dialogue on the issue of religious conversion with a view to
building a firm national consensus against proselytisation ….’ However, he
condemned the violence: ‘there can be no justification for violence or vandalism
in the name of religion.’ 106
The AICC reports that there are more intensified and pre-planned violent attacks
on Christians by Hindu fanatics in BJP-led states. The recent statement issued by
John Dayal, Member of the National Integration Council, before the NCM, on 4
August 2006 is an indication of this concern. 107 Another example is the current
(2009) tense situation in Orissa, where BJP is the ruling party along with Biju
105 K.N. Panikkar, ‘Towards a Hindu Nation,’ Frontline 17, no.3 (1999): 20.
106 ‘Advani Calls for “Free and Frank” Debate on Conversion,’ The Hindu, 25 September 2008,
under ‘National,’ http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/holnus/002200809250940.htm (accessed
10 Oct 2008).
107 All India Christian Council, ‘Plea for Fair Treatment to Christian Community,’ 27 July 2007,
http://www.indianchristians.in (accessed 13 December 2007).
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