Crores extracted from Government Funds for Religious Conversion: Reports

published on July 23, 2014

It has come to light that missionaries, with their unending bag of conversion agendas and tricks, are spending crores of rupees in the tribal belt of Kerala. Apart from huge amount of foreign funds that flow in perennially, these agencies manage to procure lakhs of rupees from central government under the guise of various NGOs.
 

Money set aside by the government for scores of developmental programmes aimed at welfare of those belonging to scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, along with educational upliftment is being channelized into the hands of NGOs that are run by these groups. From these funds, clothes, food and educational materials for children are distributed in the name of ‘God’s Bountiful Year’.
 

Take for instance, the place of Kumbanad- there exists a Pentecostal missionary agency that has 9 centres in this place alone. Their areas of work are centered mainly arund Chettapalam, Pattaanikooppu, Sultanbathery, Kallooru, Muthanga, Koyleri, Thrissileri, Meppaadi, Vazhavatta etc.
 

According to reports, organizations under these genres, numbering over 50 are reaping harvests in the tribal belts of Wayanad alone. Apart from Wayanad, districts like Idukki, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta (this includes hilly areas of Sabarimala as well), Kasargode, Malappuram etc are also witnessing the rise of missionary activities.

Reports also suggest that political bigwigs and government officials maintain a stoic silence over the matter where under the guise of educational activities, large scale conversion is taking place.

Most of the buildings functioning as tuition centres are illegal. These activities are said to be taking place in buildings devoid of numbers, which do not have sanction from Panchayat authorities. Sources suggest that the matter is mostly hushed up and pushed to the rear, even when brought to the notice of Panchayat officials.