“Joshua Project in Action — Strategies Used for Conversion to Christianity”, Manushi, May 13, 2021:
“In recent years, the issue of conversions from Hinduism and gharwapsi (reconversion to Hinduism) has evoked a great deal of controversy. Hindu groups allege that Christian missionaries use force, fraud and all kinds of illicit means in order to “harvest souls” for Christianity. Therefore, they seek a ban on conversions. In their defence, Christian missionaries say that they have never used unfair means and that their proselytisation activities are merely an exercise of religious freedom, which is guaranteed under the Constitution of India.
While on a recent visit to villages in Rohtas district in Bihar, during the course of my field research into the living conditions of ghumantoojatis (itinerant communities) like the Nats, I got revealing glimpses of the methods being used by Christian missionaries to win converts.
People of the Nat community, which include saperas (snake charmers), bazigars (magicians), acrobats, folk musicians, dancers, madaris/qalandar (those who train monkeys or bears for performances) today constitute among the poorest of the poor in India, although, before the advent of British rule, each such family enjoyed secure jajmani relations with a set of villages, and many were even patronised by rajwadas (royal courts)…..”
Read the full article at Manushi.in
