Raja Ram Mohan Roy was a ‘British agent’ aiding religious conversions, claims M.P. Minister

Raja Ram Mohan Roy, the 19^th century social reformer and scholar, was among the “agents” of the colonial British rulers who were working to change the faith of the people through English education, Madhya Pradesh Higher Education Minister Inder Singh Parmar has said sparking a controversy.

Speaking at an event in Agar Malwa district to mark the 150^th anniversary of Birsa Munda, Mr. Parmar said the tribal icon had tried to stop the “cycle of religious conversion run by some fake social reformers” at the behest of the British rulers.

“There was a vicious cycle going on in Bengal and nearby regions to change the faith of the people of this county through English education and the British had made several Indians as fake social reformers. Raja Ram Mohan Roy was one of them who kept working as a British agent,” said Mr. Parmar, who holds the Higher Education, Technical Education, and AYUSH portfolios in the State Cabinet.

“And if someone dared to stop the cycle of religious conversion by them, it was Birsa Munda. He saved the tribal community,” the Minister added.

Often referred to as the father of modern Indian renaissance, Roy is most celebrated for his efforts in the abolition of the Sati practice and promoting women’s rights such as widow remarriage. He was also one of the founders of the Brahmo Sabha in 1828, which later became Brahmo Samaj.

The Madhya Pradesh government is celebrating the 150^th birth anniversary of Birsa Munda as Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas with events being held across the State.