'People Converting Religion Should Announce & Stop Taking Double Benefits': RSS Gen Secy Hosabale

The RSS leader said that religious conversion should be stopped and people who are converted have to announce that they have converted.

RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale

New Delhi: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale on Saturday said that religious conversion should stop and those who change their faith should announce it, according to the news agency PTI.

The Sangh leader also that the organisation will welcome the union government's move if any anti-conversion bill is passed in the near future.

"Conversion should be stopped and people who are converted have to announce that they have converted", said RSS leader.

Speaking at a press conference, he further said that it is important for people to disclose if they have converted to that religion as they tend to take double benefits.
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Dattatreya Hosabale was talking to reporters at the conclusion of the three-day Akhil Bharatiya Karyakari Mandal (ABKM) meeting of the Sangh here.

Replying to a query on the RSS's stand on anti-conversion law, Hosabale said, "Why the minorities are opposing it is an open secret. Increasing the number by any methods, fraudulent or other such methods cannot be accepted."

He added that not only the RSS but also Mahatma Gandhi and others have opposed it.

The Sangh top leader claimed that over 10 Indian states have passed anti-conversion bills in India. He alleged that the Congress government led by chief minister Vidarbha Singh had passed the bill in Himachal Pradesh when the party was in power before the current Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ruling dispensation.

"In Himachal Pradesh, the Congress government passed a resolution. Virbhadra Singh was the Chief Minister and he passed the anti-conversion bill.

In Arunachal Pradesh, it was the Congress government who did it (passed anti-conversion bill). Gegong Apang was the Chief Minister," Hosabale claimed.

The RSS functionary said there always is freedom for anyone to change the religion, "but what is happening today is not that."

Hosabale also said that the former Prime Minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee had given a call for a national debate on this issue.