Vishwesha Tirtha Swami of Pejawar Mutt on Friday said that the government should form district-level committees to stop forceful conversions and to decide which conversions were forceful.
Speaking to presspersons here, Vishwesha Tirtha said that such a committee should have three eminent persons from major religions and one government representative. Such a committee should visit the spots where conversions take place and conduct a thorough probe.
The committee should probe whether the conversion was legal or illegal and also whether it was done out of one’s free will. “Only then will such incidents not occur,” he said.
The seer said that he had always maintained that when Hindus got converted to other religions in the country, no one questioned it. But when Hindus conducted conversions, it generated a huge controversy.
It was essential to treat both the instances equally. “If anyone gave inducements or forced someone to convert, it is wrong. I do not have any programme to do reconversion. But if someone calls me for it, I will go,” he said.
The seer said that it would be better if people followed their own religions. Conversions lead to controversies and conflicts. “Hence no one should try to convert others,” he said.
He welcomed the Bharat Ratna being conferred on the former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, and to Madan Mohan Malviya posthumously. “But giving Bharat Ratna posthumously is better avoided,” the seer said.
