Andhra Pradesh - Tirupati   

Government likely to enact law against proselytisation

Special Correspondent

Law Department looking into legal aspects, says Minister

TIRUPATI: In an apparent bid to absolve itself of the charge that evangelical activities have gone up after the Congress took over in the State and at the Centre, the Rajasekhara Reddy Government is likely to come up with a law making proselytisation a cognisable offence.

An indication to this effect was given here on Wednesday by Endowments Minister J.C. Diwakar Reddy talking to mediapersons in the context of the raging row over alleged Christian missionary activities.

The Law Department was right now engaged in looking into the legal aspects of enacting the law, Mr. Reddy said. "How can we allow such activities? Be it Tirumala temple, Simhachalam or any other temple," he said and appealed to the media not to try to sensationalise the issue.

Christian Council meet

Meanwhile, the All-India Christian Council leaders met here on Wednesday in the run up to the peace rally slated for Thursday to focus the attention of the Government on increasing attacks against pastors, evangelists, nurses and Christian employees. The leaders addressing a press conference criticised the Sangh Parivar for trying to malign their image for their own political agenda.

Venkaiah slights rally

In a related development, senior BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu at a press conference said it was strange that the evangelists who were caught red-handed while distributing Christian literature to pilgrims on a Tirumala-Tirupati bus, should now take out a rally blaming the Sangh Parivar for the row. He said all religions must respect the sentiments of others.

TTD initiative

Staff Reporter from Tirumala says, the TTD management in an attempt to deal with reported efforts by Sangh Parivar units to gain political mileage out of the controversy has deputed an official team to meet various religious heads including Mathadhipathis.

The team already met the chief pontiff of Mantralayam Sri Sushmindra Swamy and the Peetadhipathi of Raichur Uttaradhi Mutt on Tuesday and presented the facts to them. It appealed to the swamijis not to fall a prey to the misinformation campaign being carried out by the various vested political units.

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