Hindu festival focusing on conversions

(February 11, 2011) Christians in central India’s Madhya Pradesh state have expressed relief as the first day of a Hindu festival passed peacefully on Thursday. “We are relieved that so far no untoward incident has happened on the first day,” said Bishop Gerald Almeida of Jabalpur, whose diocese covers the state’s Mandla district where the Feb. 10-12 festival on the banks of river Narmada is underway. Christians fear the three-day festival, called the Ma Narmada Samajik Kumbh, is being organized by the pro-Hindu BJP party ruling the state to re-convert Christians to Hinduism. Bishop Almeida told Ucanews on Friday that the state administration has provided tight police security for Christian institutions in the district. The administration has declared a holiday for schools in and around the festival venue and no vehicles and media persons are allowed within eight kilometers of the event. According to some participants, several speakers accused Christians of using their charitable services to convert gullible tribal people. According to Father George Thomas, a local Catholic parish priest, they also criticized the Pope and made fun of the Old Testament narration of the creation. An exhibition at the venue displayed anti-Christian and anti-Muslim literature. Some accused Blessed Teresa of Kolkata of indulging in conversion.