Hari Desai’s article in this week’s Gujarat Samachar enlightens the reconversion-“Ghar vapasi” issue.
Conversion/reconversion are not new to India. Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism grew due to conversions. Many conversions to Islam and Christianity during early days were voluntary as recorded by conversion of a Hindu maharaja of Kerala to Islam and Namboodiri Brahmins to Christianity. Educated Bengal Brahmins and literati Gujarati elites converted to Christianity/ reconverted. Eldest son of Gandhiji, became Abdulla, reconverted to Hinduism. One leader trusted by Shivaji converted to Islam, fought in Afghanistan, later was welcome by Shivaji after his reconversion.
Dalits converted to Christianity as upper caste Hindus treated them worse than untouchable animals. Many Hindus converted to Islam in order to expand their area of influence, defeat the rival or to curry favour with ruling nawab.
Note that Maharana Pratap and Shivaji hired Muslim commanders and Muslim rulers hired Hindu commanders. Thus notion of ancestral enmity is falsified. If Kashmiries, who had converted to Islam, and if Mahamadally Jinna who had Hindu grandparents, were allowed to reconvert to Hinduism, history of India might have been different.
Problem is not conversion itself but religious fanaticism and vote hungry politicians who perpetuate the problem.
Ramesh Jhalla
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