MINORITIES - 2002 - Indian Social Institute

Bhilai, August 19: RUMOURS ABOUT conver sions among the Sikh com munity in Bhilai and Durg are
threatening to snowball into a controversy. The Durg-Bhilai Kendriya Sikh Panchayat, a newly constituted
body, confirmed that some mem bers of the community have indeed adopted Chris tianity and are
convincing others to follow suit. The incident has rattled the community no end. "The anxiety has forced us
to seek advice from the New Delhi and Amritsar branches of Sikh Dharma Prachaar Committee. We are
trying to alert mem bers of our community in Chhattisgarh as this may be a conspiracy," chairman of the
Sikh Panchayat, Harbhajan Singh Lal, told the Hindustan Times. "We will also conduct door-to-door
surveys to identify how many Sikh families are under the influ ence of Christianity and ap prise our senior
religious leaders. It is for the first time in the country that Sikhs have been allured successfully. We have
taken the matter seriously and are probing it, he added. (Hindustan Times 20.8.02)
12 th Aug
Twelve dalits converted. (7)
Raigarh: Twelve people from nine dalit families were converted to Christianity in a village in Raigarh
district, official sources said on Monday. Confirming the conver sions, government offi cials said that the
ceremo ny at Giriguda village took place on August 10 in the presence of two priests from Bhilai and New
Delhi.. (Asian Age 20.8.02)
21 st Auyg
RSS, Christian leaders hold talks. (7)
KOTTAYAM, Aug. 20. An interaction between the top RSS functionaries and a few prominent members
of the Christian laity was held at Pala today. The RSS leaders reiterated their stand and the members of
the Christian laity expressed their individual perspectives towards the issues that had been selected for
the agenda which included conversion, minority rights, national churches, dalit Christians and flow of
foreign money. Setting the tone of RSS representatives, K. S. Sudarshan, said the main irritant in creating
a cordial relationship between the RSS and the Christian community was the issue of conversion.
According to him, there were two types of religions--the non-aggressive and aggressive. Non-aggressive
religions such as [udaism and Hinduism do not believe in conversion while the aggressive ones, including
Christianity, believe in imposing religion on others. He alleged conversions were not held in a peaceful
manner and violence was involved in them. He said the foreign funds were channelled into the country
with a motive, often political. He named the Baptist Church which, according to him, was involved in the
insurgencies in North-East. Mr. Sudarshan reiterated his calls for a 'national church' or a confederation of
churches in India. lie questioned the very concept of 'minority rights' and stressed the need to integrate
with the national mainstream, where there will be only one set of rights. (Hindu, 21.8.2002)
21st Aug
Black Book on Gujarat riots ready for print. (7)
New Delhi, Aug. 20: Former ICSSR chief M.L. Sondhi and senior ICSSR fellow Apratim Mukarji have just
finished editing The Black Book on Gujarat in which well known academics, columnists, secu rity advisors
and foreign policy experts from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Harvard University and other foreign
organisations have written on the Gujarat riots. The book has articles by the pro-Gujart
fessor of sociology at JNU Imtiaz Ahmad, chairman of the Conflict Management Group in Harvard, Roger
Fisher, professor Emeritus of Stanford University S. Henry Rowen, senior advocate of the Supreme Court
Fall Nariman, global Entrepreneurs Kanwal S. Rckhi, former member of Parliament R.K. Ainin, senior
journalists A.N. Dar and Satish Misra, director of the Institute for Conflict Management in New Delhi, Ajai
Sahni, senior fellow of the Indian Council of Philosophy Research Madhuri Santanam Sondhi and Mr
Mukarji and Mr. Sondhi themselves. (Asian Age, 21.8.2002)
21 st Aug
Kalam seeks SC view on Gujarat. (7)
NEW DELHI, Aug. 19. — President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam today made a reference to the Supreme Court
under Article 143 of the Constitution to seek the Court's, opinion on the Constitutional val idity of the
Election Commission's decision on de ferring the Gujarat Assembly elections. The Cabi net had sought the
Presidential reference at its meeting yesterday. According to official sources, the Cabinet reso lution was
sent lo the President this morning. Dr Kalam, after going through the contents of the resolution, held