Kanchipuram Sankaracharya Speaks Out on Forcible Conversion Bill

[Jahnava Nitai Das 2]

Kanchipuram Sankaracharya Speaks Out on Forcible Conversion Bill

 

CHENNAI, INDIA, October 31, 2002: The Hindu religion does not to untouchability, which is prevalent in some rural areas, states Sankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi. Untouchability exists, His Holiness believes, because of illiteracy and can be eradicated only by educating people. His Kanchipuram Mutt is taking steps to eradicate it. Referring to a recent court ruling that anyone with the requisite qualification could be made a temple priest, he said already there were thousands of temples in the State where nonbrahmin priests performed the worship. While denying that he was instrumental in bringing the Tamil Nadu bill banning forcible conversions, His Holiness did say that he supported the bill. At present there was no bar on people carrying out charitable activities and religious organizations had every right to do so. The bill objected to it only when it was done with a motive to convert people, he said.