The Conversion of Thirty Millions The latest issue of Mr.
Gandhi's weekly paper Harijan to reach this country contains an important article by Mr. Gandhi himself on the strange proposal that the thirty million members of the Depressed Classes in India should be converted from Hinduism to some other religion. At first Christianity and Islam were the two favoured alternatives, but the last idea, sponsored by the garijan leader, Dr. Ambedkar, and Dr. MoOnje, representing caste Hindus, is that the thirty million should, On grounds of pure expediency, embrace the Sikh religion, and thus remain technically within the Hindu fold. Mr. Gandhi, whose championship of the Depressed Classes is now his dominating, if not his sole, public activity, is emphatic in his denunciation of what he calls " a dangerous proposal " ; and on the highest grounds. " Who," he asks, " are we, the self-constituted leaders, to barter away the religious freedom of Harijans ? Has not every Harijan, hoWever dull or stupid he may be, the right to make his own choice ? " and he adds that it is spiritual force " which will finally govern the welfare of Harijans and everyone else, and confound the calctilations of men, however gifted they may be intellectually." Such words. may be commended not only to the. Hindu leaders, but equally to some Christian leaders who have been too readily attracted by the idea of a-miss conversion to Christianity.
Previous page
