While the commentary concludes with certain explicitly ill conceived questions over funding of Hindu organizations the intention of the commentator becomes questionable when she fails to take into account the funding of the Christian missionaries who according to media reports have been paying stipends to get converts. Such kind of allurements and inducements for religious conversions are against the Orissa Freedom of Religion Act 1961.
Questioning Charity with Questionable Intent:
A Rejoinder to Priya Abraham's "Uncharitable Giving"
While the commentary concludes with certain explicitly ill conceived questions over funding of Hindu organizations the intention of the commentator becomes questionable when she fails to take into account the funding of the Christian missionaries who according to media reports have been paying stipends to get converts. Such kind of allurements and inducements for religious conversions are against the Orissa Freedom of Religion Act 1961. She has also failed to reveal as to who funded those 18 trips of California-based ‘athropologist’ Angana Chatterji to Orissa since 2002.
Moreover the claim of Angana Chatterjee being an anthropologist seems doubtful as even after 18 trips to Orissa she failed to understand the nature of the ongoing ethnic conflict between the tribal “panos” and scheduled caste “Kondhs”. The Christian missionaries have been trying to convert “panos” and “kondhs” by demonizing the local culture thereby creating a lot of social tension. Few months back the entire area was engulfed in the fire of “Panos-Kondhs” riots owing to the simmering tensions over several issues ranging from economic to religious and cultural. The self proclaimed anthropologist also seems unaware of the fact that caste system is not an exclusive preserve of Hindus in India, today Christians and Muslims are practicing even more discriminatory caste system. While a reform movement is underway among the Hindus who are uniting against the caste system, common Christians and Muslims feel a sense of pride in describing their caste lineage and caste status. A person who is even oblivious of the Indian social reality can hardly be relied for any valid research and authentic data. At the same time it may be noted that Hindutva as a concept defines itself completely in opposition to caste system and other discriminatory practices in the society.
The riots in Orissa started in the wake of brutal murder of Swami Lakshmananand along with Sadhvi Bhaktimata and three other Hindu saints. Swamiji was in the forefront of social reforms and welfare measure that was undertaken in the area and was completely against conversion and demonizing of the tribal culture by the missionaries. He was attacked eight times earlier. His increasing popularity was the biggest impediment in the path of the Christian propaganda aimed at converting the tribals and scheduled caste people. Hence missionary complicity in his murder was naturally inferred by the locals. He was a highly respected figure in the area known for his zeal for welfare of the tribals. The government’s failure to provide him protection even after repeated attacks enraged the local population who started protesting over his murder. The protests culminated into “Panos-kondhs” riots taking a communal turn once again with both sides blaming each other.
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