The Association of Catholic Historians of India (ACHI) has chosen to deliberate on the contribution of missionaries for nation building for its forthcoming annual conference in Bangalore, next June. During the meeting, several well-researched papers by a wide range of scholars will be presented and discussed.
As reported by mattersindia.com, Divine Word Father Rayappan Jesuraj, a member of the executive council of ACHI, remarked that “The right-wing Hindu organizations such as RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) and the pro-Hindu BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) with their hidden and malicious agenda seek to destroy the contribution of Christian missionaries in India. That is exactly the problem we are facing for longer. Many a time the work of Christian missionaries is interpreted negatively. We need to put them in the right perspective.” Further, he added, “We chose the theme on the contribution of missionaries for nation building because there is a general feeling that either the missionaries did little for Indian culture and language or destroyed it entirely, which is not the fact.”
The ACHI is an association of Catholic historians, scholars, and researchers consisting of clergy and lay. It has more than 60 members. It is two years old.
Source: www.mattersindia.com
