Panajim — RSS leader Mohan Bhagwat’s comments about Mother Teresa have created yet another storm with many condemning his calling the mission work as a conversion.
Earlier this week, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Mohan Bhagwat’s comment saying the real motive behind Mother Teresa’s missionary work was to convert people into Christians generated anger among many groups of people. BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi claimed that Mother Teresa had admitted in an interview that her job was to bring people to the fold of Christianity.
Actress Dia Mirza took to Twitter to express her rage tweeting, “Shame on you MeenakshiLekhi you contort personal faith/work to validate a statement that should be condemned.”
Goa’s politicians took no time in condemning the statement and the general consensus is against the comment while many point to the RSS as a problem making organisation all together.
Panjim based advocate Thalmann Pradeep Pereira says the comment stems from the government’s ulterior motive. “A very provocative statement deliberately designed to keep the whole Nation discussing about Mother Teresa who is in heaven, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi quietly grabs the futile agricultural lands of the Poor Farmers and hands them over to the Big Corporates here on Earth,” he says.
Fr. Victor Ferrao, priest, Christian theologist and dean at Rachol Seminary says, “What the RSS is trying to do here is attempting to disqualify the love and service shown by Mother Teresa to humanity for people who need it. They are trying to degrade it.
Hinduism is not like this. Hinduism is a great and colorful religion. This comment is discoloring hinduism by insulting Christianity by insulting Mother Teresa. The RSS are cutting the tree that they are sitting on.”
Due to the anger and resentment the comment received, the group took to Twitter accusing the media of reporting wrongly.
Activist Swati Kerkar isn’t surprised with this comment saying it their usual mode of working. “This is the style of the RSS: first to make a ridiculous statement and then blame it on the media that they misinterpreted it. They want India to be Hindu, that is all, and their meaning of Hindusim is entirely different,” People should understand the hypocrisy of the RSS, she says adding, “These are the same people that portrayed Nathuram Godse as a hero.”
Author Damodar Mauzo says, “Has anything better come out from the RSS? It’s a pity to see them active these days on such petty issues. Mother Teresa has the highest stature in our lives and in the country, and I can call myself a Mother Teresian.”
And rightly so, many look to the Albanian nun, Mother Teresa as anything but working for a motive of conversion. “Mother Teresa was not a symbol of any particular religion.
She worked as a human being for human beings. As a human she saw the suffering of people and went to their aid. She didn’t look at the person she was helping as a Hindu or a Muslim or a Catholic. I have faith in the people and am sure that they will not pay attention to such comments.
While Mauzo adds, “people should come out and voice their opinions against such an accusation and that it is highly condemnable. I haven’t heard anyone agreeing to Bhagwat’s allegations. It is as if the RSS are trying to provoke the opposing party and also trying to start a crusade against Christianity. It feels like the RSS are trying to assess whether the opposing party will sell this idea or not and also whether the RSS can get away by making these types of comments.”
Fr. Ferrao who has worked with the sister initially questioned her ways but realized her true value. “Not much before I myself used to question Mother Teresa’s way of working, but after having looking at her work closely and actually working with her sister I have come to notice on how humble and pure she was. I call for forgiveness for the RSS because they don’t know what they are saying,” says Ferrao.
The people that support the RSS, he says, talk blindly simply to back Bhagwat, but have themselves done nothing closr to what the nun had done insisting conversion was not her main motive.
“She was not doing her holy work for conversion. If it was so, then millions would have been converted by now,” says the priest.