Question

Why were Christian missionaries attacked by many people in the country? Would some people have supported them too? If so, for what reasons?

Answer 1

Like the reformers, the Christian missionaries too were involved in different reform activities. They set up schools for the underprivileged sections of society like the “lower” castes and tribal groups. They questioned the various social injustices. Like the reformers, they too were opposed by the various conservative sections of society. Their attempts at reformation would have been seen by many as an attempt to destabilise the existing Indian social order. Their reform activities would also have been looked at with greater suspicion because of the close link between their religion and their actions. Many would have felt that at the heart of their actions was the agenda of religious conversion. So, the missionaries would naturally have been attacked by many people across the country.

However, as in the case of the reformers, there would also have been many who would have supported the Christian missionaries and their activities. A majority of this support base would have consisted of those very people who benefited from the reform activities of the missionaries, such as the untouchables. Intellectuals and reformers who themselves were involved in various reform activities would also have supported the missionaries.