This refers to the editorial "Conversion agenda" (December 25). The drive behind conversion is a non-issue and it is prompting the current government to spend time on it to such an extent that even parliamentary proceedings have taken a back seat. The government should tread carefully before it gets embroiled in conversion debates. The majority of the converts to other religions are from the weak and socially deprived classes. The process of re-converting is a concept alien to Hinduism, as it does not believe in conversion or proselytisation. Large sections of the Hindu society come under the ambit of reservation or affirmative action. If the converted people demand that they be admitted to their earlier groups to avail of the constitutional benefits given to Dalits and other reserved communities, how will the government handle such a situation?
In the past, many who converted to Christianity or Islam agitated that the benefits of reservation be given to them. Governments of the day had firmly rejected any such demands. This conversion agenda will rekindle this debate, which could lead to social acrimony.
H N Ramakrishna, Bengaluru
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