I believe that every Indian has the right to convert to whichever religion he finds attractive. If human beings are not treated as human beings and would therefore like to convert by their own conviction, if certain castes have been denied even their basic fundamental rights to worship in temples, if certain sections of society are treated as untouchables or outcastes, nobody should deny them their rights to convert.

What I am opposed to are the proselytizing activities being carried out by the Christian missionaries that often lead to spreading discord between communities. Much propaganda is made that the Constitution of India permits such "conversion activities" which is largely false. This matter has been settled in the Supreme Court as far as back as 1977, when the challenge by the Christian missionaries against the Madhya Pradesh bill to regulate conversion was dismissed and the Supreme Court ruled that the right to propagate does not include right to convert.

There is no doubt that the Constitution gives freedom to propagate one’s religion. But no right in a civilized society is absolute, and this freedom is subject to ‘public order, morality, health and other essential provisions’. Hence, this right cannot impinge on the duty towards the society. Most of the religions have their own non-verifiable beliefs and every person has the freedom to pursue his or her own religion.

Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains, Zoroastrians and many others are largely tolerant in the sense that they give give others the freedom to practise their religion whether they agree with the others' tenets or not.

The problems arise when Christians believe that their own non-verifiable beliefs are true whereas all other non-verifiable beliefs are false.

While they are free to believe whatever they want, even if irrational or unscientific, trouble starts when the Christian missionaries intrude in the religious lives of people of other religion. If a Christian missionary, whilst propagating his own religion, comes to me and calls me a sinner, he is denigrating my own religion and my own belief.

Propagation of religion does not mean that our country is converted into a "WWF type of Arena" with religions being allowed to denigrate one another. There can be no peace so long as one religion offends the other and calls their Gods false and "Shaitans".

This will perhaps be beyond the understanding of atheists and many Christians (despite the fact that they feel hurt when something is said to their God), but Hindus revere their Gods and feel hurt when their own Gods are abused, displayed on toilet papers, beer bottles, urinated upon or broken into pieces. Such an aggressive intrusion into ones' religious life therefore creates a deep wound, and every time this wound hurts a martyr is created, a Dara Singh is born.

The presence of miniscule organisations like Sanatan or Sadhus who consume dope will not change the fundamentals of the Hindu religion, which are largely wound on the principles of tolerance.

Organised conversions are carried out only by the religions of exclusivity and especially by the Christians. No such conversions are carried out by the Hindus. Many Hindus revere Buddha, and if they consider Buddha as an avtaar of Vishnu, it is largely the tolerance of Hinduism and not a "blot".

To live together in peace thus calls for a great deal of concerted efforts, and a sensitivity, towards each other's feelings. Indian politicians will thus have to act NOW, and make all such conversion activities a criminal offence.