Sadhvi Bhagawati warns against faith-based grants and conversion

The president of Divine Shakti Foundation, Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati was among those who attended the first ever congregation on International Religious Freedom organised by the U.S. State in Washington D C. The Vice-President of the United States Mike Pence and the External Affairs Ministries of over 80 countries aside from the religious luminaries from a large number of countries attended the three-day high-profile religious gathering hosted by Secretary Pompeo and Ambassador Sam Brownback.

“We must connect on the fundamental level of our humanity. Before we are Hindus or Muslims or Christians or Buddhists or Jews, we are humans," said  the sadhvi while  addressing the congregation.

Giving her suggestion for the US State Department‘s international policy, Bhagawati said that they should ensure that no American dollar or other kinds of support goes to any organisation that is giving care, whether healthcare or education, to people of a particular religion exclusively. She also cautioned them against the organisations stressing on religious conversion to receive the largesse. She emphasised the fact that when a mother is to choose between her religion or medical care for her child she no longer enjoys her freedom of religion.

She along with Imam Umer Ahmed Iliasi, president of All India Association of Imams with Mosques met Sam Brownback, the United States’ Ambassador for religious freedom. During the meeting, the Ambassador is learnt to  have expressed his concern over  violence raging in the name of religions in India.

Speaking to The Pioneer over phone, the sadhvi said, “Acts of violence do not happen for nothing. Conflicts arise, particularly in many rural and tribal areas of India, when the Christian missionary organisations stress on proselytisation while using the Hindu people’s acceptance of myriad names and forms of God. When the people are coerced into changing their religion to obtain education or healthcare or other facilities it triggers tension in these communities. This tension is what needs to be addressed,” said Bhagawati.