Christian converts cease to be Indians, says Hindu leader

"Those who convert to Christianity will lose their right to be Indian," commented a Hindu religious leader in South Africa–which has hurt and caused riffles within the Christian Community.

A Tamil linguist and an executive member of the South African Hindu Maha Sabha, Thillayvel Naidoo, made remarks after a Christian convert Deena Muthen, urged people to maintain their language and culture even if they convert.

A pastor of a church in the large Indian–dominated residential township of Chatsworth in Durban, Muthen himself was a Hindu priest who converted to Christianity. He told his congregation to "be proud of their rich language and culture."

Muthen's comments are just ways to entice poor and easy giving people to convert to Christianity, said Naidoo.

"Those who reject their religion lose the right to be completely Indian. He (Muthen) is distracting people with his Tamil preaching and hymns. Just because he preaches in Tamil does not mean anything, and I condemn it," said Naidoo, quoted TOI.

However, Muthen, a former Hindu priest, rejected the assertion saying he made the comments because there was hunger for Indian culture and language among Indian Christians.

"I have been urging churches to become more culturally involved. People desire to know their heritage, and we can teach them Tamil. There is a lack of knowledge among Christian Indians, but this does not mean that we are not Indian or less than Indian," he said.