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This month's Goanet operations sponsored by an Anonymous Donor ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Communal forces seem to be raising the tempo in the run-up to elections (see article below). Gova Doot had a front-page splash (which Fred had posted) on this a few days ago, with all kinds of laudatory and inflammatory comments. Various questions arise: 1. If most of these 'wayward' individuals were from Maharashtra and Gujarat, why did this Ratnagiri Swami have to come to Goa to do this mischievous act? Does the fact that Goa is on the verge of elections have anything to do with it? And that with a substantial Christian population, the scope for playing these mischevious anti-Christian games is greater in Goa: note the comment about 'under the influence of Christian missionaries'? And that Goa is now providing a very hospitable environment for fascist Hindutva forces? 2. What kind of perverted thinking is it that says that women who marry people from other religions should convert to their husbands' religion? And if this chappie is only 'bringing people back into the fold', how does he justify this act of 'converting' these women? How does he square all this rubbish with Hinduism, which has no concept of 'conversion'? 3. Our politicians are happily playing with fire. Pandurang Madkaikar is hardly a surprise, but what was Victoria Fernandes doing at this binge? Note that both are Congress politicians (though both have merrily cohabited with the BJP in the past). The Congress seems determined to try to live up to its reputation as 'BJP-lite' when it comes to communalism. The scope for mischief by such elements is unlimited, and we citizens need to be alert against this kind of stuff. ---- Gomantak Times, 1/5/07, p.4 Naniz seer reconverts 760 individuals to Hinduism Back into the fold MANGUESHI: His Holiness Swami Narendra Maharaj, the seer of Jagadguru Ramanandcharya Peeth, has reconverted 760 individuals who were earlier in Hinduism fold and had converted to Christianity under the influence of Christian missionaries. These individuals, a majority of them hailing from different parts of Maharashtra and Gujarat, and a few from Goa, were formally absorbed into Hinduism fold after performing Hindu religious rituals and attended by the seer from Naniz (Ratnagiri district) at a function held at Bainguinuim, Old Goa, recently. In addition to these families, three Christian and four Muslim girls who had married Hindu boys were administered 'diksha' and converted to Hinduism. Addressing a largely attended gathering, which was marked by the presence of Transport Minister Pandurang Madkaikar and Santacruz MLA Victoria Fernandes, the Swamiji said that in one-and-half years he had succeeded in reconverting 19,229 individuals back to Hinduism. Stating that Hinduism was in danger, the Swamiji appealed to all Hindus to forget the barriers of caste, creed and unite. "We are not indulging in conversions. WE are only getting those wayward individuals back to the fold of Hinduism who had earlier strayed from this religion," he said. The seer from Naniz also demanded the formation of an independent ministry which would protect the interests of Hindus. "Hindus who are in a minority in those states should get the same benefits as granted to other religious minorities," he added, while appealing to the gathering to support only those candidates who endorse the Hindu school of thought. -- Question everything -- Karl Marx ------------------------------------------------------- CONVENTION OF THE GOAN DIASPORA FROM GOA INTO THE WORLD Lisbon, Portugal June 15-17, 2007 Details at: http://www.goacom.org/casa-de-goa/noticias.html -------------------------------------------------------