No one can derail Modi’s development agenda: Amit Shah

PTI CHENNAI, DECEMBER 21 Amid the raging controversy over a conversion bid by some Sangh Parivar outfits, BJP president Amit Shah on Sunday asserted that such incidents would not derail the party-led NDA government from its development agenda. “BJP has made its stand clear on conversions. And no one can derail the party (government) from its development agenda,” he told a news conference here. He was replying to a question whether the campaign by some fringe groups on the conversion issue would affect the development agenda of the Narendra Modi government. Asked repeatedly about the involvement of RSS in the matter, Shah evaded a direct reply and said, “RSS is a national organization and I have no doubt over its activities.” Opposition parties have been seeking to corner the government on the “ghar wapsi” (homecoming) campaign in parts of North India and stalled proceedings in Rajya Sabha demanding a statement from Modi. Shah, who is on a two-day visit to the city since Saturday, also said BJP’s stand on forced conversions was clear and the government was ready to bring a law to ban them. “BJP is clear about its stand on compulsory conversions. Parliamentary affairs minister Venkaiah Naidu has said in Parliament that the government is ready to bring in a law against compulsory conversions. Are the so called secular parties ready to support it?” he asked. He dismissed suggestions that his party was soft in criticizing the AIADMK Government in the state as the two parties had some understanding, saying there was nothing called “indirect alliances” in politics. “There is nothing called indirect alliance in politics. Whatever alliance we have it will be known and come in the press. Even yesterday, our BJP leaders have strongly criticized the Tamil Nadu government in the public meeting (addressed by him),” Shah said replying to a query. The BJP chief said he was not criticizing the dravidian parties but the their governments based on performance. Stating that the state was passing through a crisis, he said, “Due to Congress-led misrule in the Centre and the bad governance of DMK and AIADMK in the state has suffered in terms of growth and development resulting in large-scale unemployment.” Delhi Catholic Archdiocese questions Modi’s silence With the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) reportedly converting over 100 Christians in Gujarat, the Delhi Catholic Archdiocese on Sunday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s silence on the ongoing religious conversion row. “Modi is forgetting that he is the PM of the whole country, that he is the PM of Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, Jews and everybody, not just of RSS,” Delhi Catholic Archdiocese spokesperson Father Dominic Emmanuel said. “He may be a RSS man but even the larger Hindu public does not support this kind of thing which we know,” he added. Meanwhile, VHP chief Ashok Singhal said that a Hindu society should be built which works for the benefit of the world based on its traditions. “All the other religious powers, which are formed, do not work for the world,” he added. Earlier this month, around 200 people were reportedly converted to Hinduism in a ceremony in Agra by groups linked to the BJP`s ideological mentor RSS. Re-conversion campaign should be stopped: CPI(M)  The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Sunday demanded that the “RSS-sponsored re-conversion campaign” be prohibited under the provisions of the law. In a statement, the Polit Bureau – which is currently meeting in the Capital – said the BJP and the RSS are indulging in doublespeak by talking about religious conversions. While on the one hand RSS organisations are conducting a re-conversion campaign targeting minorities, the BJP leadership is demanding a law to ban forcible conversions. Flagging this, the CPI(M) said the twin demands are not just directed against minorities but also aimed at sharpening communal divisions. According to the Polit Bureau, there is no need for such a law as Article 25 of the Indian Constitution provides for “freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religions.” If there is any forcible conversion it is already covered under Indian Penal Code (Section 153(a)) as it classifies forcible attempts in the name of religion as a criminal offence.