DELHI – Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat’s alleged remark on Mother Teresa, that her service to the poor was aimed at bringing them to the fold of Christianity, has sparked angry reactions from many sections of society in India.
“Bhagwat’s remarks reflect his narrow-mindedness. Such remarks pose threat to religious cohesion. Radical Hindu groups want to create discord between communities,” Joseph John, a Christian executive, told OnIslam.net.
“Now they are targeting Mother Teresa, who worked for the poor and the downtrodden throughout her life.”
RSS, the most powerful Hindu organization in India, is the ideological wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi which is currently in power in the country.
Mohan Bhagwat reportedly made the comments on Mother Teresa in a program organized in Rajasthan state last week.
Although fundamentalist Hindu organizations have long questioned the role of Christian missionaries in India, Bhagwat’s remarks kicked up a storm because Mother Teresa is held in high esteem by the people in this country.
“It is an attempt to polarize society on religious lines at a time when minorities are already facing heat over the issue of religious conversion,” John added.
Right-wing Hindu groups have been campaigning to declare India a nation of Hindus. They claim in the past large numbers of Hindus had converted to become Christians or Muslims under coercion or greed and now they should return to their original faith.
Hard core Hindu organizations have been also running ‘gharwapsi’ or homecoming campaign, where they want religious minorities to embrace Hinduism.
But so far, they have failed to secure Modi’s support on this issue, although Modi’s distracters claim he has failed to rein in radical groups.
US President Barack Obama, during his three-day visit to India in January this year, had emphasized the importance of religious toleration, saying India will be a great success so long as it is not splintered along religious lines.
Muslim Concern
India opposition political parties and Muslim groups have also denounced Bhagwat’s statement.
“Mother Teresa was an inspiration for Indians. She served the people of this country and was a noble soul. I believe it is wrong to target her like this,” Sharafat Ali, a Muslim scholar, told OnIslam.net.
“RSS have another agenda in mind behind attacking her. Perhaps it wants to vigorously pursue their agenda of bringing back the so-called forced converts to Hinduism,” he added.
A sizeable number of Hindus said they were not ready to buy the remarks of RSS chief, although RSS has declared that its support to its chief who endorsed Bhagwat’s statement on Mother Teresa.
“We believe Mother Teresa was a role model for us through her selfless service for the poor. We cannot forget her contribution for this country,” said Girija Shankar a Hindu journalist based in central India.
He further told OnIslam.net, “We can never forget her work. It is not right to cast aspersions on her services.”
Minorities, including Muslims and Christians, have come under attack from fundamentalist Hindu organizations in the last few months after the BJP came to power in India.
The attacks on churches have increased and Muslim youths have been targeted over ‘love jihad.’ They have been accused of forcing women to convert using 'love jihad'
“There is a motive behind each and every statement of RSS. Bhagwat’s statement was meant to divide the communities on religious grounds,” said Mufti Shees who believes Bhagwat’s remark would further divide different communities in India.
“Hindu bigots don’t want minorities to live in this country. They want them to either accept Hinduism or leave this country.”
Mother Teresa was an Albanian citizen who moved to India and worked for nearly 50 years in Kolkata town of India.
She founded the Missionaries of Charity to work for the poor and the downtrodden. She was awarded the Noble Peace Prize in 1979 for her contribution to the poor.
She was also awarded India’s highest civilian award- Bharat Ratna- for her services by the government.
“RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat wants to turn majority of Hindus, who wish to live peacefully, against Christians,” said Ranjeet Victor, a Christian who believes that after Mohan Bhagwat many more such comments would come from Hindu brigade.
“His motive was clear that Christians should not be allowed to live in this country and should also be held responsible for conversions in India.”
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena, a coalition partner of BJP in Maharashtra state, has come out in support of Mohan Bhagwat.
The party said Muslim rulers converted Hindus by the sword and Christians have been using money and the name of service for conversion. Shiv Sena is a regional political party in Maharashtra and supports Hindu nationalist agenda.
Onislam
