Indian Visa rules now relaxed for Missionaries

Raj30

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Church now has visa power! | Niti Central

Has the UPA Government covertly given foreign missionaries a free hand to proselytise and convert 'heathens' in India? Persons seeking passport services in November 2012 were startled to discover that, without any discussion in Parliament or in public, the UPA Government has quietly relaxed restrictions on the entry and stay of foreign missionaries coming to the country. These restrictions were enforced on the recommendations of the Niyogi Commission, appointed to investigate the activities of missionaries in Madhya Pradesh, which submitted its report to the Union Government in 1956.

This backdoor act has set alarm bells ringing in many quarters. The news is true. The missionary visa is issued to those going to India "for a religious purpose". It takes up to three months to process, and the duration of stay is decided by the Government of India, which means it is open to discretion!

A visit to the passport office website and visa service clearly states, at Item 17: Missionary Visa: Visa to foreign missionaries, other than those holding 'No objection to return to India Endorsements', are granted only after clearance by concerned Ministry/ Department in India.

This is further clarified in Item 24: Registration: Foreigners entering India on Student visa, Employment visa, Research visa, Missionary visa valid for more than 180 days are required to get themselves registered with the concerned Foreigners Registration Office within 14 days of their arrival in India. Foreigners holding any other type of visa valid for more than 180 days do not require registration if the period of their stay in India on each visit is less than 180 days. However, they must register themselves within 180 days of arrival if the period of their continuous stay exceeds 180 days. For more details, see the website of MHA or Bureau of Immigration (Bureau of Immigration).

It is also learnt that the Government has decided to end the requirement for Protected Area Permit (PAP) needed by foreigners visiting Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland, three States where the Church is well entrenched since the colonial era, and where the missionaries want to expand the separatist agenda.

It is pertinent that the website of the Ministry of Home Affairs does not mention the 'Missionary Visa' at all. Nor does the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) where foreigners must register themselves if staying beyond 180 days, mention the Missionary visa. This is revealed only in the passport section, and is thus not known to the public at large, but word would have been spread through the international network of the church. The consular services of the Indian missions abroad would have received instructions regarding the processing of Missionary visa.

The creation of a special category of visa for missionaries may legitimately be considered as official patronage for Christian conversions in India. This violates the constitutional provision that the state would have no religion, and would treat all citizens as equal without discrimination on grounds of caste, religion, gender, or any other reason. The missionary visa in effect makes India a country where the state – or at least the regime of the day – has declared Christianity as a state-promoted and favoured religion, which has to be privileged even in violation of the Constitution and the nation's foundational ethos.

Hitherto, foreign missionaries have entered India by the back door, on tourist visas, and have been deported if caught preaching or proselytizing, as this is contrary to the stated objectives of their visa. Foreigners who joined the missionary-directed protests at Kudankulam nuclear plant were also rounded up and swiftly deported on grounds of violating their visa protocol.

Now, however, the Indian Government is offering a carte blanche for foreign missionaries to undertake conversion activities with impunity. All that the various church denominations have to do is ensure a regular stream of padris to avail of the Missionary visas on continuous basis, and thus the respective churches can have an unending supply of foreign missionaries to enthrall their target audiences. This is bound to ensure higher funding of Indian missions by foreign agencies engaged in proselytisation.

It is truly astonishing that despite so many brutal experiences with missionaries, most notably in the north eastern states and Orissa, where two respected sadhus, Swami Shanti Kali and Swami Laxmanananda, were gunned down with AK-47 rifles for resisting conversions, not to mention the painful legacy of the Goa Inquisition, the UPA sees fit to encourage missionaries to descend upon India and convert vulnerable groups. Politically, the entry of foreign missionaries also has the potential to destabilize the districts and state where missionaries operate, as has been seen in several places.

The missionary visa is nothing but a blatant attack on India's foundational ethos, civilisational integrity, and Hindu community which is the target of missionary machinations. It assaults the fundamental right of the Hindu community not to be trespassed upon by evangelists and to practice their native faith in peace and dignity.

In sharp contrast to its solicitude towards Christian missionaries, the UPA's attitude towards the Hindu community is best gauged from the attempt to impose the draconian Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence (Access to Justice and Reparations) Bill, 2011.

One wonders if the haste to encourage missionaries to descend upon India has anything to do with the well known rejection of Christianity in large parts of the Western world
 

Ray

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Does this apply to western missionaries alone or also the Muslim and Buddhists ones?
 

KS

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Special visa categories for Christian missionaries ? To come , spew shit at the local majority religion, convert the pagans and then lick their western masters ass like the Archbishop susaipackiyam...? When I was young I used to think what Dara Singh did was wrong. I no more feel like that. It looks like there are two sides to every story. This whole concept of secularism is fast becoming a failed notion and a threat to the way of life, to the Indian civilization. Already the % of Hindus has fallen to mid 70s and these will only exacerbate the demographic time bomb which will ultimately result in just one way - India ceasing to exist as we know it.
 

Rage

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This is wrong. The state should favour no religion and the creation of a special category of 'Missionary Visas' does just that. Not only is this blatantly anti-Constitutional, it puts into the spotlight India's chequered and not unbidden history with Christian missionaries: from Goa at the time of the Portuguese Inquisition to the Bodo separatist movement in recent times. Start a campaign against it and I will spread it to every Christian I know, who I will hold accountable for their beliefs and word in a truly secular state. Let's see how many believe in the ideal of an India as an equitable, secular, democratic nation-state when their own faith is at stake.
 

JBH22

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What the hell?

Some are losing their market share in western europe so acquire more share in the Indian market.
 

Energon

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This whole concept of secularism is fast becoming a failed notion and a threat to the way of life, to the Indian civilization. Already the % of Hindus has fallen to mid 70s and these will only exacerbate the demographic time bomb which will ultimately result in just one way - India ceasing to exist as we know it.
There are significant sections of the Christian missionary machine that are highly dubious and malignant, and their activities are undoubtedly harmful. However this constant fear of "our ___[Enter country/culture here]___ will cease to exist as we know it" is entirely unfounded. Many American conservatives for instance are convinced that letting you into the Untied States (I'm assuming you live in the US based on your profile) will trigger the collapse of "the American culture and its way of life." Do you think this is true? And do you think it would be a valid reason to refuse you entry into the country thereby robbing you of the opportunity to integrate into the great American collective? Of course not. Forget about migration, the same irrational excuse would be used by Shiv Sena thugs to prohibit your entry into Bombay (assuming you weren't Maharashtran) because they think your presence would exacerbate the erosion of their cultural epicenter.

The inherent flaw with this apocalyptic scenario is that it is founded on a static and arbitrary default setting which is considered to be "pure" and subsequently any deviation from that idealized scenario is labeled as an existential threat. The truth of the matter is that human societies are perennially dynamic (or at least the successful ones). Furthermore the United States and India in particular have the distinction of being two of the most dynamic societies where their respective identities have been defined by the constant influx of varying cultures and ideas. The irrational American conservatives who would hold you responsible for destroying their way of life forget that not too long ago someone equally irrational was making the same argument about the Italians and the Irish. You would be charged with bringing in a litany of "incompatible ideas" ranging from polytheism, vegetarianism and silly outfits to yoga. But these charges would be fallacious because many of these ideas you bring will be beneficial and selectively integrated into the collective; and most of all it will not trigger a "fundamental collapse" much like the feared introduction of Catholicism by the Irish and the Italians.

We as a human society are currently undergoing a paradigm shift on account of globalization; and for the first time there has been a mass mixing among many peoples from all over the world. This phenomenon has changed everyone, but it does not mean people have relinquished their identity lock stock and barrel. (Again based on my earlier presumption) For instance you have moved to the United States and currently enjoy all the benefits of this excellent modern society (which you have the full right to do), but does this mean you have abandoned your true identity? Of course not, you have certainly changed and (hopefully) absorbed many new ideas from this advanced country that weren't prevalent in India, but all in all you are still the same person.

This is not to say that the activities of dubious missionaries isn't harmful, or that there aren't negative aspects of aping western culture. The same goes for the deleterious effects of illegal immigrants in the United States who are involved in criminal activities and who "rape the system" with impunity. But the overall effects of such elements are small and certainly not enough to extinguish an entire "way of life".

In the end what really matters is how successful a society becomes and how well they are able to resolve their own issues and provide a good standard of living for everyone.
 

Mad Indian

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Furthermore the United States and India in particular have the distinction of being two of the most dynamic societies where their respective identities have been defined by the constant influx of varying cultures and ideas
You mean like the way Native american culture was "civilised" or rather "Enriched" by the westerners? OR Does the "Civilising " of Africans count?:rolleyes:

Or like the creation of -----stan and Bangladesh from India? Along with the destruction of millions of native Hindus along with it?
We as a human society are currently undergoing a paradigm shift on account of globalization; and for the first time there has been a mass mixing among many peoples from all over the world. This phenomenon has changed everyone, but it does not mean people have relinquished their identity lock stock and barrel.
Tell that to the Pakis, who think they are Arabs :lol:

Also, who said new ideas are always better? We had something called as Socialism which destroyed lives of millions around the world.

and Cultural enrichment from ideas is different from being digested by foreign culture! Missionaries do just that! There is nothing positive about that from Indian POV!
 

Mad Indian

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That said, why are the Lindoos worried about Missionaries. If they really have a superior system, then they should have countered the Missionaries with their ideas in the religion and not restrict them.

I mean you people are 100 crore for God's sake! If you cant reverse/contain the activities of a few million, then you dont deserve to exist as a seperate faith!
 

Das ka das

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There are significant sections of the Christian missionary machine that are highly dubious and malignant, and their activities are undoubtedly harmful. However this constant fear of "our ___[Enter country/culture here]___ will cease to exist as we know it" is entirely unfounded. Many American conservatives for instance are convinced that letting you into the Untied States (I'm assuming you live in the US based on your profile) will trigger the collapse of "the American culture and its way of life." Do you think this is true? And do you think it would be a valid reason to refuse you entry into the country thereby robbing you of the opportunity to integrate into the great American collective? Of course not. Forget about migration, the same irrational excuse would be used by Shiv Sena thugs to prohibit your entry into Bombay (assuming you weren't Maharashtran) because they think your presence would exacerbate the erosion of their cultural epicenter.

The inherent flaw with this apocalyptic scenario is that it is founded on a static and arbitrary default setting which is considered to be "pure" and subsequently any deviation from that idealized scenario is labeled as an existential threat. The truth of the matter is that human societies are perennially dynamic (or at least the successful ones). Furthermore the United States and India in particular have the distinction of being two of the most dynamic societies where their respective identities have been defined by the constant influx of varying cultures and ideas. The irrational American conservatives who would hold you responsible for destroying their way of life forget that not too long ago someone equally irrational was making the same argument about the Italians and the Irish. You would be charged with bringing in a litany of "incompatible ideas" ranging from polytheism, vegetarianism and silly outfits to yoga. But these charges would be fallacious because many of these ideas you bring will be beneficial and selectively integrated into the collective; and most of all it will not trigger a "fundamental collapse" much like the feared introduction of Catholicism by the Irish and the Italians.

We as a human society are currently undergoing a paradigm shift on account of globalization; and for the first time there has been a mass mixing among many peoples from all over the world. This phenomenon has changed everyone, but it does not mean people have relinquished their identity lock stock and barrel. (Again based on my earlier presumption) For instance you have moved to the United States and currently enjoy all the benefits of this excellent modern society (which you have the full right to do), but does this mean you have abandoned your true identity? Of course not, you have certainly changed and (hopefully) absorbed many new ideas from this advanced country that weren't prevalent in India, but all in all you are still the same person.

This is not to say that the activities of dubious missionaries isn't harmful, or that there aren't negative aspects of aping western culture. The same goes for the deleterious effects of illegal immigrants in the United States who are involved in criminal activities and who "rape the system" with impunity. But the overall effects of such elements are small and certainly not enough to extinguish an entire "way of life".

In the end what really matters is how successful a society becomes and how well they are able to resolve their own issues and provide a good standard of living for everyone.
Completely misleading with claims bordering on the asinine. KS being a Hindu Indian living in the US is not even remotely comparable to the White Christian missionaries who spew hatred wherever they go. These people are spiritual terrorists and represent the predatory nature of Christianity. Heck many of these missionaries identify themselves on a "Crusade". I know of one such organization called "Campus Crusaders for Christ". The point of this is comparing a highly educated immigrant of a different background with religious lunatics deliberately bent on destroying other civilizations is highly flawed.
 

SLASH

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Hindu's have survived forceful conversion and conversion with benefits in the past. It is not going to change now either. Most Jains also pray to Hindu gods, even though it is against the teachings of Jainism. This is because it is deep rooted in our culture. For the same reason many Christians and Muslim celebrate Diwali, Holi and Ganesh Chaturti. Most of the urban youth celebrate Christmas irrespective of religion. So relax and let people choose their faith to themselves.
 

Das ka das

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Hindu's have survived forceful conversion and conversion with benefits in the past. It is not going to change now either. Most Jains also pray to Hindu gods, even though it is against the teachings of Jainism. This is because it is deep rooted in our culture. For the same reason many Christians and Muslim celebrate Diwali, Holi and Ganesh Chaturti. Most of the urban youth celebrate Christmas irrespective of religion. So relax and let people choose their faith to themselves.
Another case of Ostrich syndrome which is synonymous with Lindoos (and Jains)! The fact of the matter is 1200 years ago, virtually all of Asia from Afghanistan to Bali and from Tajikistan to Sri Lanka was following one form of an Indic religion. Hindus (I use this term to describe all followers of Dharmic religions) have lost over 80 percent of their territory to the Abrahamics and still we go one babbling about our "invincible" civilization. Delusion at its finest.
 

SLASH

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Another case of Ostrich syndrome which is synonymous with Lindoos (and Jains)! The fact of the matter is 1200 years ago, virtually all of Asia from Afghanistan to Bali and from Tajikistan to Sri Lanka was following one form of an Indic religion. Hindus (I use this term to describe all followers of Dharmic religions) have lost over 80 percent of their territory to the Abrahamics and still we go one babbling about our "invincible" civilization. Delusion at its finest.
Are we talking of amount of land or number of people? You my friend are the one suffering from the ostrich syndrome. Selectively and loosely using numbers to deceive others. Just because there are few Hindu relics in Afghanistan or the South East doesn't mean all people living in the region were Hindus. Most of the people were pagans/Animist or barbarians with no concept of god. Wherever Hinduism as a faith was strong it has survived.
 

LurkerBaba

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Another case of Ostrich syndrome which is synonymous with Lindoos (and Jains)! The fact of the matter is 1200 years ago, virtually all of Asia from Afghanistan to Bali and from Tajikistan to Sri Lanka was following one form of an Indic religion. Hindus (I use this term to describe all followers of Dharmic religions) have lost over 80 percent of their territory to the Abrahamics and still we go one babbling about our "invincible" civilization. Delusion at its finest.
Are we talking of amount of land or number of people? You my friend are the one suffering from the ostrich syndrome. Selectively and loosely using numbers to deceive others. Just because there are few Hindu relics in Afghanistan or the South East doesn't mean all people living in the region were Hindus. Most of the people were pagans/Animist or barbarians with no concept of god. Wherever Hinduism as a faith was strong it has survived.
Undivided India had 75% Hindus. Now the % on Hindus in the entire subcontinent is probably close to 50%. Its a case of Boiling frog syndrome
 

Das ka das

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Undivided India had 75% Hindus. Now the % on Hindus in the entire subcontinent is probably close to 50%. Its a case of Boiling frog syndrome
We are finished. The way I see it, Northern and Eastern India will become an Islamic state (Mughalistan) while the South will secede and form a Christian Dravida Nadu.
 

ashdoc

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good thing .

soon everybody will become christian and there will be lots of disco , partying , drinking , free sex etc in india .

in short , india will be a fun zone .

amen to that :rofl:
 

parijataka

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good thing .

soon everybody will become christian and there will be lots of disco , partying , drinking , free sex etc in india .

in short , india will be a fun zone .

amen to that :rofl:
Why do you have to be Christian to do all that ? You can still party/booze/sleep around as Hindu cant you ?
 

ashdoc

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Why do you have to be Christian to do all that ? You can still party/booze/sleep around as Hindu cant you ?
i know---but even though hinduism does not put restrictions on fun , modern hinduism is orthodox and hindu society is backward . ancient hindus probably had more fun than modern hindus .

anyway , i was just joking .
 

Santosh_AS

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Nice Article, I agree with most of the points. But the challenge which we're facing is, the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs, in its information provided under RTI Act (Attachment-1) clearly mentioned that there shall be no visas issued to foreigners who wish to come to India on religious purpose. In the same information, it also mentioned that there is a provision to grant Missionary Visas to foreigners who wish to come here for Missionary Work which doesn't include Proselytism and Preaching of Religion.
And MHA in its another information provided under RTI Act (Attachment-2) more clearly stated that foreigners who visited India on tourists should not preach or propagate their religion and there shall be no visas granted to foreign preachers.
So, here the question arises is, What the term 'Missionary' refers to? Whether it is Service Mission or Religious Mission? Government should give clarity on it.
 

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