Karnataka MLA Kickstarts Campaign Against Religious Conversion By Initiating His Own Mother’s ‘Ghar Wapsi’

Even as Karnataka contemplates bringing an anti-conversion law in response to the complaints of forced conversions in the state, Member of Legislative Assembly from Hosadurga, Gulihatty D Shekhar, has kickstarted the ‘ghar wapsi’ campaign by ensuring his own mother who had converted to Christianity returns to Hinduism.

Shekhar, who reportedly shed tears in the assembly recently over the conversion of his mother my missionaries, initiated the campaign to bring back the converted Christians into the Hindu fold.

The return rituals were conducted in the Halurameshwara temple in Hosadurga taluk of Chitradurga.

Four families and a total of nine people are said to have ‘returned’ to Hinduism at this ceremony that Shekhar oversaw. These families, belonging to the Sudugadu Siddha community of the Ballala Samudra, were said to have converted to Christianity four years ago in Kerala.

Speaking to a news channel, Shekhar has said his mother would soon speak to the media about her reconversion and is currently under mental duress and residing at his residence.

“Four families and my mother have come to the temple and accepted that they will henceforth follow our religion and its rituals and traditions. The change had to and has begun with my mother itself,” said Shekhar as quoted.

Shekhar had recently alleged that around 20,000-25,000 people from various communities in the taluk had been converted to Christianity. While he received unpredicted support across social media, the state‘s CM Basavaraj Bommai and Home Minister Araga Jnanendra too spoke about bringing an anti-conversion law in the state.

Shekhar has also highlighted issues about the availing of facilities and benefits provided to various scheduled caste communities and nomadic tribes by the converted Christians.

In a Facebook post, he had shared a letter written by residents of Marutinagar in his constituency who highlighted the Sunday conversion activities of the missionaries, details of those who had obtained government jobs and various other facilities under quotas reserved for scheduled castes and sought that action be taken against the same.