Thirteen-yearRajan’s son (Name changed), a student of class 8 in School in Tirunelveli from Tamil Nadu, remember how He was told during an extra semester that if he needed good Signs and Wishes perform Academically better than his peers, he must not pray to another god but Jesus. Failure to do so will bringfailure in His life and his distortions bodyRajan tells News18 in waking up of recent accidents of Religious conversions from the state are reported.
Rajan father Transferred him to another school after he came know about the accident. “The school is not place where to send us children to learn how one Religion is better than others. This creates hate. a lot of others parents They were angry on Learn about it. we took Subject up with School management but just to make sure no serious action is taken.” father She said.
Earlier this month, a video clip of A class 6 student from school in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, was widely shared on social media Where she was seen complaining to the management of Ha government about school how one of Her teachers were telling her and other classmates to read the Bible and that all other gods were demons.
18 . news team was present in school at that time of accident along with the girls parents. The accident also became the headline in The media Across the country, two days later, the teacher was fired.
next two months of this accident, in January this year17-year- Old Lavanya, Class 12 student in Thanjavur from Tamil Nadu, had her life ended due to alleged torture by two nuns of Her school, who said the girl in Ha dying Ad, forced her to turn to Christianity. About a month later, the Madras High Court issued directives to the central office of Inquiry to take up Investigate the matter.
in wakefulness of Lavanya case, like special Investigation team of News18 has traveled extensively across and visited southern Tamil Nadu various government Beside private-run Schools and certificates of the students, parentsActivists and educators were registered, claiming this how religious conversion in this part of The state is rampant. that they also raises questions on how shortage of a job on On the part of the state administration is only fueling such practices.
News 18 team also met else student from areawhose father did not wish to be recognized. The 14year old narrated how Her teacher told her and her classmates in one of Classroom during school hours That ‘Hindu are a demon. You will only get misery If you do not pray to Jesus. one must use The Bible during prayer if they wish to be successful in life”.
Ha father He said when he was along with some other student’s parents raised the matter with The school administration was not taken seriously and they were assured that it would not be repeated.
News18 has also found This is not only in schools, but in In education centers also, some students encountered similar religious sermons.
Aarthy (noun changed), class 3 studentShe said she asked her teacher to come over for Prayer. “I said my parents Will not allow But they insisted that it is necessary. One son in it was my education also He said that if he needed good Signs must come for said the girl.
Locals and activists in The area He says such incidents have becomemore common and rudeness day after day.”
Talking about “the way it works” of These religious groups, Theiva Prakash, who runs School in Nagarcoil, said most of those people Enter the premise of the school posing as scholars. They will present the school administration to give Student lectures on ‘Uses’ of Cell phones or misuse of technology’ or on moral science. But as we are told by the students, these lectures are slowly developing into preaching on importance prayer of one specific religion and how To pray to God and on how other religions bad. This is complete brainwashing of kid like young 8 to 9 years old,” Prakash said.
Activists and educators in South Tamil Nadu also He emphasized that while this matter was raised, the administration had not done anything significant so far.
Umayoru Bhagan, teacher and retiree professor From Kanyakumari, he said problem of Religious conversion based on on Seduction is not so new in The area.
“Over the past Two decades, demography of Kanyakumari and its neighboring villages changed Excitingly and quite clearly. Since the goals for The conversion is determined by one of the needs of the groups you are approaching people She is so strong one It falls prey to them easily. at recent days past We’ve seen it more And more Schools are approached. Students cannot be told that they would do better academically if they did. follow one specific religion. play with The future of children He is a criminal, said Bhagan.
Laxmi Manivanan who writes often on Similar issues in kanyakumari, also said the conversion rate in The area Unusually high. “if children They are being drawn with Signs , for Adults and those who run a house financial help It is used as a trap. According to my study, 50% of population of Kanyakumari and its surroundings are crypto-Christian which means they are Hindu in government records but in practice They are Christians, just to be able to benefit from both government As well as missionary groups “Manivanan added.
while accidents of Religious conversion, locals say, is rampant, and there are activists who They say they have now joined Hands to reach in time out for these who have transformed or into these who nag of Force them or offer temptations for religious transformation.
Bhaskar, one of Like these activists, he said he receives two to three complaints each week. “I am a field worker. It true We are connected with some Hindus outfits But that’s because he alone does not one Could you fight these groups. me work Independently. There are many others like us. we stay in Touch and when do we get any like that callWe meet and visit his family, school, or wherever that complaint is made. We try to get these people back they have and also help They have to file a complaint with the police if they wish Bhaskar said.
In many cases, these activists claim to have done so also Written to the police or have made Emergency calls but they claim that they do not work in time.
When News18 arrived out to one of Police officers present at the scene during one This complaint made by parents of 6th grade girl in A government the school in Kanyakumari, ho declined to comment. “We will let the school administration deal with issue for Now,” he said.
News 18 also books for some of Missionaries and groups that run schools in South Tamil Nadu asks them to comment on Such allegations but no response.
Read all the latest news, breaking news and live updates for IPL 2022 here.
.
