The questions posed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, on conversion and social service, once again create needless controversy (“ >Is conversion necessary for social work, asks Rajnath ,” March 24). A right to conversion is certainly necessary because it involves the fundamental right of an individual to choose a religion of his choice according to his conviction. He can even choose to be an atheist. One of the fastest growing religions through conversion today is Buddhism, with most such conversions taking place in Europe. Nobody makes a hue and cry there. A number of Europeans have also abandoned Christianity, their ancestral religion, to adopt some other faith.
How does the Home Minister assume that social work produces converts? If that were the case, the percentage of Christians should have increased dramatically given the number of educational and charitable institutions they run in the country. Eminent members of the BJP have been educated in Christian institutions and have not become less Hindu in any way.
S. Emmanuel,
Madurai
