Nepali Hindus and Christians protest false allegations of forced conversions to Christianity

(February 09, 2011) Nepal's Hindus and Christians are protesting against the complaint made by Kamal Thapa, head of the monarchist Rastriya Prajatantra Party, according to which, there have been a million forced conversions from Hinduism to Christianity, since the end of the monarchy. For religious leaders, these accusations are false and damaging to relations between the two faiths. Thapa denounced forced conversions last January 29 on the sidelines of a conference organized by the Muslim community in Bhaktapur. According to mainstream Nepalese media these statements serve to create divisions among the Christian and Muslim minorities. Keshav Chaulagain, head of the World Hindu Foundation, has dissociated the group from Thapa’s accusations. He said "We know that many Hindus practice Christianity, but none of them has undergone forced conversions." Chaula-gain emphasized that Christians help people from all walks of life and religion. "It 's this, that leads people to covert, he added. Catholic Archbishop Anthony Sharma of Kathmandu stated that "Christians help those in need, but do not ask anyone to convert." People are converted by divine grace. Baptism comes only when there is a real interest and only after two years of catechism, " he added. In Nepal there are about 150 thousand Christians, of whom about 8 thousand are Catholics. Despite discrimination on the part of Hindus, conversions are increasing.