Author: Special Correspondent
Publication: The Hindu
Date: September 22, 2008
URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/22/stories/2008092252350400.htm
VHP suspects role of political parties in
the targeting of churches
* 'Attacks are a response to conversions'
* We do not support the ongoing violence: Murthy
Seven days after the attacks on prayer halls
and churches started in the State, the Sangh Parivar on Sunday denied its
role in the incidents.
The denial has come at a time when the pressure
on the Centre for banning the Bajrang Dal is mounting.
Addressing a press conference here on Sunday,
Vishwa Hindu Parishad regional secretary (Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh) B.
N. Murthy said: "the opponents of Sangh Parivar have a prominent role
in these attacks."
He suspected the role of the Congress, Janata
Dal (Secular) and communists in the attacks.
When he was reminded that Bajrang Dal convener
Mahendra Kumar himself had owned up responsibility for attacks while speaking
to TV channels, Mr. Murthy maintained that "such a statement was just
an emotional response to the conversions and that he had withdrawn the statement
later."
Claiming that the BJP Government in the State
had initiated steps to put an end to violence, Mr. Murthy took exception to
the alleged efforts by the Centre and the Opposition in the State to pull
down the Government.
At the same time, Mr. Murthy termed the ongoing
attacks as the "sharp response to conversions." The Sangh Parivar
was opposed to the "forced and induced conversions". But it would
not resort to violent ways of protest. "We do not support the ongoing
violence and we want this to end," he said.
He alleged that most of the conversions were
based on inducement and demanded that the flow of foreign funds for such conversions
should be stopped.
He maintained that the conversions were leading
to cultural conflicts within the converted families.
Heads of Catholic and Protestant religious
organisations should publicly criticise the conversions and also disassociate
themselves with those outfits which were into conversions, he demanded.
