Posted by OFBJP (OFBJP@OFBJP.Org)
Hindustan Times
July 11, 2000
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Overseas Friends of the BJP (USA) ........... Voice: (718) 271-0453 54-15, 108th St. ............................ Fax: (718) 271-1906 Corona, NY 11368............................ WWW:http://www.ofbjp.org BJP's Website: http://www.bjp.org Title: BJP, George differ on clean chit to missionaries Publication: Hindustan Times Date: July 11, 2000 THE BJP today disagreed with Samata Party leader and Defence Minister George Fernandes on giving a clean chit to Christian missionaries, saying proselytisation "polluted" the motivation for public service. The Samata Party, in turn, appeared to be blowing hot and cold over the issue of anti-Christian violence and the role of the RSS-affiliates in the controversy. A day after giving a clean chit to Christian missionaries, Mr Fernandes blamed "external forces and some in the country" for spreading "false information" about persecution of Christians in the country. Today, his party issued a newsletter at its national council meeting at Varanasi, demanding strong action against those attacking Christians and their institutions. Condemning all recent acts of violence in the name of religion, BJP general secretary K. N. Govindacharya today said that Mr Fernandes should examine whether the missionaries had performed "seva" (service) without looking for any material or non-material gain or merely indulged in a "sauda" (trade) for proselytisation. "If public service has been rendered with expectation or gain in the form of religious conversion, it cannot be called a true public service. If the motive for rendering help is to proselytise, then it pollutes the motivation for service and becomes a trade," he said. Mr Govindacharya, who is considered close to the RSS and co-ordinates between the Sangh and the party, said conversions carried out by Christian missionaries "under the garb of religious freedom" had harmed the social fabric in different parts of the country. "I am confident that if Mr George Fernandes is asked to choose between social unity and freedom for religious conversions, he will prefer social unity," he said, responding to questions on the Defence Minister's praise for Christian missionaries. Mr Fernandes was quoted by Outlook magazine as saying in an interview that "the ultimate test of patriotism is what you do or what you don't and Christian missionaries in India have done work to raise the level of consciousness of the people through education." 'RSS criticism a valuable advice to Govt' Differences between the RSS and the BJP on the economic policy will help the Government to proceed cautiously and carefully on economic reforms, BJP general secretary K N Govindacharya said on Monday. He told reporters that, contrary to the media perception that the RSS' objections would put spokes in the Government's plans, the Sangh's "constructive criticism" would serve as a valuable advice for proper implementation of reforms to the benefit of the people. Mr Govindacharya, who attended the recent meeting of the top RSS leaders at Ahmedabad, said the importance of the views of the Sangh was underscored by the organisation's ability to visualise the problems "above party and politics."
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