Introduction

In the context of growing communal disturbances and the allegations against Christianity
of its Conversion activities, the churches are facing challenges of fundamentalism. The
challenges posed by both sectarian Christian groups and the Hindu fundamentalists and the
continual debate on Conversion have certainly impacted on mission and ministry of the church in
India. The religious intolerance and fundamentalist ideologies in India are leading to religious
conflicts. Religions which claim the exclusivistic attitude lead to fundamentalism and thereby to
conflicts and violence. The constitutional provisions for Christian ministry and religious
profession now faced with many challenges. In this paper the attempt has been made to discuss
rise of fundamentalism and the issue of conversion in the Indian context.

Fundamentalism

The word ‘Fundamentalism’ comes from the word ‘fundamental’, it traces back to
protestant theological controversies of 20th century. Fundamentalism is, neither a ‘new religious
movement’ nor ‘traditional’ ‘conservatives’ or ‘orthodox’ expression of religious faith and
practice. Its main purpose was to reaffirm older beliefs of protestant Christianity and defend
them against the challenges of the Darwinism. The phenomenon of religious fundamentalism is
the root cause of exclusivism, absolutism and fanaticism in religions.

Fundamentalism in India

The equal treatment of all religions that is guaranteed by the Indian constitution is
especially viewed by the politically oriented fundamentalists as a betrayal of Hinduism. 1 Before
independence secularism is a hallmark of our constitution that has emerged as a political
ideology in the course of national struggle for independence. But the post independent India’s
history tells the sad story of a slow erosion of secular ideals in which religious fundamentalism
allied with communal politics is paying a dominant role. Politicization or religions and
communalization politics has shaken the very foundation of our secular democracy. The Hindu
chauvinistic factions and parties – BJP, Shev Sina, RSS, and VHP have missed no opportunity to
communalize national politics aimed at capitalizing Hindu votes. Few incidents which took place
over these years Cleary conveys a message that there is a constant fear of terrorism by
fundamentalist forces operating within and across the borders.

Partha Ghosh states that the process is epitomized by the rise of Hindu-chauvinistic BJP
to the center stage and its subsequent forming a coalition government at the center with itself as
the dominant partner.

1
Fundamentalism in India

The equal treatment of all religions that is guaranteed by the Indian constitution is
especially viewed by the politically oriented fundamentalists as a betrayal of Hinduism. Before
independence secularism is a hallmark of our constitution that has emerged as a political
ideology in the course of national struggle for independence. But the post independent India’s
history tells the sad story of a slow erosion of secular ideals in which religious fundamentalism
allied with communal politics is paying a dominant role. Politicization or religions and
communalization politics has shaken the very foundation of our secular democracy. The Hindu
chauvinistic factions and parties – BJP, Shev Sina, RSS, and VHP have missed no opportunity to
communalize national politics aimed at capitalizing Hindu votes. Few incidents which took place
over these years Cleary conveys a message that there is a constant fear of terrorism by
fundamentalist forces operating within and across the borders.

Hindu Fundamentalism -an Overview

Historically, beginning from Muslim invasions for a long time India was under the
foreign rule. From 16th century onwards the colonial rulers established their stations in India. The
British colonialism and missionaries and their attacked on Hindu religion, culture and social
fabric of India that gave rise to 1857 Sepoy Mutiny. The missionaries’ attitude to Hinduism and
its practices also gave birth to Hindu fundamentalism in close of 19 th through the 20th centuries.
As a result in 1875 Arya Samaj was started by Swami Dayananda (1824-83) for rejuvenating the
minds of Hindus about its deteriorating condition which marked the first stage. In 1909 the
British encouraged separate electorate for Muslims which triggered the patriotism among Hindu
namely Lala Lajpat Rai and Lal Chand who spoke of ‘one nation’, this marked the second stage
to political awareness among Hindus for the creation of Hindu nation which gave birth to Hindu
Maha Sabha in 1915. The third stage was an assimilation of the previous two with more social
and cultural services resulting in founding of a militant Organization the RSS in 1925 by Kesav
Baliram Hedgewar at Nagpur. With Nazi fascist attitude though Savakar and Hedgewar ignited
the fundamentalist mind, it was during Golwalker’s time the Sangh had become more fanatic
force against minorities. It became evident that Hindus were the nation and Hidutva was
Rashtriayatva. The idea of Hindu nationalism is always related with the ‘one nation’ idea which
is Hindu fundamentalistic thinking.

Francis Gonsalves argues that the fundamentalism and Safronization is related with the
forms of linguistic, cultural, ideological, and religious and nationalism. The Sangh parivar with
its national political party alliances became more critical and infiltrate the ill feelings towards the
minorities. In 1980s VHP launched the Ayodya Campaign, and in 1990 L.K Advani’s rath yatra,
a campaign for Hindu Rastra and construction of Temple at Ayodhya. L.K. Advani’s
nationwide recent rath yatra for good governance will begin at Sitab-Diara in Bihar on 11
October and end in New Delhi on 20 November 2011, covering 18 states and three Union
territories which are supported by the RSS and its allies clearly show how the Hindu forces are
trying to mitigate Christian ministry.

Hindutva
Hindutva ("Hinduness") is the predominant form of Hindu nationalism in India. The
word 'Hindutva' is not found in traditional lexicon. The term ‘Hindutva’ is derived from the two
terms Hindu and Tattva, which literally mean ‘Hindu principles. It was used for the first time and
popularized by the national leader, V.D.Savarkar in 1923. 2 It refers to the ideology espoused by
Hindu fundamentalist who argue that no matter what religion one belongs to, it is imperative that
all Indians subscribe to a Hindu ethos. In short, they seek to make every Indian, irrespective of
religious affiliation. Savarkar wrote, "Hinduism is only a derivative, a fraction, a part of
Hindutva". The political ideology of Hindutva is, according to its followers, an assertion of
‘Indian identity’ and ‘Indian nationhood’.

The Ideologies and Activities of Hindutva

 Babri Majid – Ram temple

 The importance of celebrating Ganesh festival
 The pushing of Sanskrit language and using Hindi all over India
 Change of teachers’ day to Guru Utsav
 The confusion over the term Hindu and Indian
 The importance to Ganga
 The push over the practice of yoga and Safforinization of education
 The practice of cow protection
 The change of Christmas as ‘Good Governance Day’
 The role of RSS in BJP and the sowing of divisive spirit
 The attack on modern India (Dress code of women, Valentine’s day)
 The undermining of atrocities on Dalits and minorities

The Impact of Hindutva in the Indian society

 The growth of communalism and fundamentalism

 Caste system
 Threat to minorities

The English word ‘fundamentalism’ was first coined in 1920 by C. L. Laws in the Baptist
Watchman-Examiner in order to describe a movement formed to oppose liberal theology in the
USA. The movement had become known through a series of books under the title The
Fundamentals. Fundamentalism is a strict adherence to ancient or fundamental doctrines, with no
concessions to modern developments in thought or customs.
Conversion

According to J. Kavunkal, the word Conversion is the most misunderstood term in the
religious vocabulary of India. The term conversion has many connotations as it is looked from
different perspectives. As Vincent Kundukulam states Conversion means, “change from one
religion to another”, “a divine act in a person’s life”, or “a psychological experience”, “a radical
change in individual behavior or a cultural change in a community”; conversion also includes
individual’s social, political, economic mutations. According to S. Michael, Conversion brings
the individual into conflict with his family, neighbor, society and culture. Conversion is basically
a decision of an individual searching for the best way to reach God. It has multiple connotations,
in a very strict sense; conversion applies to one’s change of religion, also known as proselytism.
On the other hand conversion is a radical change because of the inner experience resulting in
change of dress, way of life, do’s and don’ts and their outlook on the meaning of life and their
worldview. The convert departs from one social group and joins another. His/her group loyalties
change, old customs and beliefs are denied and a new set of norms are accepted.

Hindu attitude towards Conversion

In our country Christian Missionaries are engaged in bringing about such conversions for
the last several years and they have succeeded in converting several thousands of persons in the
remote and interior parts of the country. Kailash Nath Katju, Home minister made a declaration
in the Parliament on 22 nd April 1953 that foreign missionaries working in the country engaged in
social work, medical, education were welcome, but if they indulge in proselytism it would be
undesirable.

Hindu Jagran Manch (translation: Forum for Hindu Awakening) is an Indian Hindu
activist group affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). It focuses on activism
against religious conversion and works for the reconversion of Muslims and Christians to
Hinduism. It and other similar affiliates Hindu Jagran Samiti, Hindu Jagran Samaj and Dharm
Jagran Samiti have been implicated in the aggressive Ghar Wapsi (reconversion to Hinduism)
programmes in 2014–2015. Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister of UP declares that “This (Ghar
Vapsi) has been happening for ages. It is an ongoing process and it will continue to
happen,” Golwalker leader of RSS said, “The non-Hindu people of Hindustan including
Christians and Muslims must adopt the Hindu culture and language, must learn to respect and
hold in reverence the Hindu religion, and must entertain no ideas but those of glorification of the
Hindu race and culture”
Anti-Conversion Bill

The anti-conversion are laws which is enacted mainly by state to prohibit the conversion
by force, allurement, gratuity, and other method by which one man renounce his religion and
convert into other religion. Originally, during the British Colonial era, Hindu princely states
adopted laws restricting spiritual conversions— mainly “in the latter half of the 1930s and
1940s.” Such states enacted laws “in an attempt to preserve Hindu religious identity in the face
of British missionaries.” Following the independence of India, a number of anti-conversion bills
were introduced by the Parliament, but none were enacted. First, the Indian Conversion
(Regulation and Registration) Bill was introduced in 1954, which sought to enforce “missionary
licensing and registration of conversion with government officials.” This bill somehow failed to
gather majority support in Parliament’s lower house and was rejected by its sitting
members. This was followed by the enactment of the Religious Protection Act in 1960, “which
aimed at checking the conversion of Hindus to the so-called ‘non-Indian faiths’ that included
faiths like Islam, Christianity, Judaism and Zoroastrianism as described in the aforementioned
Bill.

A national anti-conversion law is being proposed by the Indian government. Several

states in India have anti-conversion laws, despite the fact the country’s national constitution
guarantees freedom of religion. According to Zee News, the government has already started
drafting a bill that will prevent any kind of religious conversion. This comes shortly after the
BJP-led government passed a controversial bill that stripped Jammu and Kashmir, India’s only
Muslim-majority state, of its statehood and special autonomous status. At present Seven of
India’s 29 states (Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand,
and Uttrakhand) enforce ‘anti-conversion’ laws, which are designed to prevent individuals and
groups from converting or attempting to convert, either directly or otherwise, persons through
‘forcible’ or ‘fraudulent’ means, including ‘allurement’ or ‘inducement.’