Alternate Path: BJD cites Odisha Conversion Act to check both sides

NEW DELHI: Even as the Rajya Sabha was stalled for yet another day over the issue of religious conversion, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has managed to strike its own path on the matter. The party has 20 members in the Lok Sabha and seven in the Rajya Sabha.

BJD MP Bhratruhari Mahtab spoke to ETonthe issue, saying that while he and “his party consider changing of religion the abominable work” the Hindu right wing was narrowing the definition of Hinduism by its Ghar Vapsi programme.

“You cannot divorce religious conversion from its societal context, at the time of independence, the country was not only reeling from colonial rule where there were religious conversions, but also the Partition of the country on the basis of religion,” he said.

“Which is why you see that as a society India decided to protect indigenous cultures and tribals, that there is a suspicion against conversion, it works both ways for every religion,” he said.

He cites the example of Odisha, which moved for a Freedom of Religion Act in 1957. “This act, which should be the template for other states, requires the person who is desirous of converting to give an undertaking to the district magistrate so that public order is in no way affected by the act,” he said. On the Ghar Vapsi programme, Mahtab said that the RSS was narrowing the definition of Hinduism.

“It’s like saying that dharma means religion, whereas dharma means righteous path. Hinduism is a way of life, and these conversion programmes do not reflect that,” he said.

“Both those advocating conversion or protesting against it have to think this through. Even the so called secular parties, if you stop this programme, what is it that you end up protecting? You may end up hampering the very religions you want to ‘protect’,” he said.