ELECTION 99
US EDITION
COLUMNISTS
DIARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

Search Rediff

Bajrang Dal warns of 'second phase of action'

The Bajrang Dal today expressed unhappiness over the government's state reception to Pope John Paul II during his forthcoming visit to India and warned that it would begin its ''second phase of action'' if the Pontiff did not apologise for the ''atrocities'' committed against the people in Goa.

Bajrang Dal National Convenor Dr Surendra Jain said at a press conference in New Delhi that according a state reception to the Pope would send wrong signals ''since he was coming here only to address a religious gathering.''

''Sometime back when Nepal's King Birendra came to India under similar circumstances to address a religious gathering, he was not given a state reception nor did any of our national leaders call on him even though he heads a Hindu country,'' he said.

He added that the Vishwa Hindu Parishad had sent a formal request to the organisers of the Pope's visit for an appointment with him to explain their viewpoint. But there has been no response so far.

Reiterating the demand for an apology from the Pope for the ''atrocities'' committed against the people of Goa 300 years ago and the policy of conversions practised by Christian missionaries in India, Dr Jain said their demands were perfectly justified because the Pope had earlier made a similar gesture in the United States and Yugoslavia and to the Jews.

He claimed that the VHP had won ''half the battle'' after the recent statement by Christian leaders that the Pope cannot apologise for something done 300 years ago. ''At least they have admitted that atrocities had been committed and there had been forced conversions in Goa at that time. This is contrary to what they had been saying so far,'' Jain said.

Asked about the Bajrang Dal's plan if the Pope did not apologise, Jain said they would launch the ''second phase of action'' of their Jan Jagran Abhiyan (public awareness campaign). ''We cannot force him to apologise. We can only demand. He is our guest and we are not opposing his visit here,'' he remarked.

Lashing out at the Digvijay Singh government in Madhya Pradesh for stopping the Goa-Delhi yatra, Jain alleged that the chief minister had taken the step to ''appease Mrs Sonia Gandhi.'' He warned that it would snowball into similar yatras from ''every corner of the state.'' The yatra was proceeding ''satisfactorily'' and would conclude as scheduled, he added.

He claimed that 22 tribal youths at Netrang in Gujarat had approached him and offered to ''rejoin'' Hinduism.

Dismissing as ''propaganda launched by vested interests'' that the Bajrang Dal was opposing the Pope's visit, he said the Dal was only trying to create an atmosphere where they (the Dal and the Pope) could understand each other's sensibilities.

Jain said the Dal wanted to ask the Pope some basic things -- did he consider all religions equal; will he ask Christian missionaries in India to stop all their anti-national activities and secure the release of four Sangh Pracharaks who have been kidnapped by insurgents reportedly linked with the church in Tripura.

''Our demands are justified and constitutional and nobody should have any objection,'' he added.

UNI

Tell us what you think of this report