Andhra Pradesh   

Outlaw religious conversions: Advani

Special Correspondent

Points to `spurt' in activities of evangelical organisations in the country

TIRUPATI: BJP leader L.K. Advani on Monday made critical remarks against what he called `organised foreign-funded conversion campaigns by evangelical groups.' He demanded that there must be national and state-level legislation prohibiting religious conversions done through inducement or coercion.

A three-page statement released here by Mr. Advani at the end-of his two-day visit to the temple city assumes importance in the context of an episode wherein some evangelists reportedly distributed religious literature to the pilgrims on board an APSRTC bus returning to Tirupati from Tirumala after darshan at the shrine.

The former Deputy Prime Minister said that after the advent of the UPA Government at the Centre and the Rajasekhara Reddy Government in Andhra Pradesh, there had been a `spurt' in the activities of evangelical organisations. Such activities acquired an extra edge of ominousness when they were facilitated by foreign-funded organisations, ostensibly under the garb of social service for the underprivileged.

He said these activities posed `a grave threat' to the Hindu society besides undermining national integration and social harmony.

Mr. Advani also referred to the 5 per cent reservation being sought to be provided to Muslims by the Andhra Pradesh Government in education and employment (since struck down by the High Court).

"Communalising policies"

Kasaragod Staff Reporter writes:

Mr. Advani told an election rally here that the Congress and its allies were communalising domestic policies.

Reservation had never been contemplated on a religious basis. Now the Government was proposing religion-based reservation even in the Army. This would endanger the country, he said.

The Union Government had also withdrawn the law against illegal immigration into the country. In Kerala, the Congress-led Government and the CPI(M)-led Opposition had passed a resolution calling for the release of the principal accused in the Coimbatore bomb blast case, Abdul Nasir Maudhany. "Compromise on terrorism compromises the country."

He appealed to the people to break the stronghold of the Congress and its allies as well as that of the CPI(M) and its allies as the State had faced stagnation on account of their misrule.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Rs. 50 lakh more for each Assembly segment in A.P.
Outlaw religious conversions: Advani
On a holy mission
Briefly

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu