Author: PTI
Publication: Outlook
Date: May 20, 2006
URL: http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?id=386323
Taking strong exception to certain reported
comments by Pope Benedict XVI on alleged religious intolerance in India, BJP
and RSS today said his remarks were irrelevant and exposed "ignorance"
about Indian traditions and laws.
"The Pope's remarks on religious freedom
is not relevant to India. There is much more freedom here than in many countries.
Freedom of religion does not mean conversions by coercion and allurements,"
BJP Spokesman Prakash Javadekar told reporters here.
Asserting that state Assemblies had the power
to enact such legislations, he said, "such laws are not against conversion
by conviction but if people convert en masse, motives have to be there".
In a hard-hitting response to the Pope's remarks,
RSS National Executive Member Ram Madhav told PTI over phone from Leh, "the
Pope is ignorant of Indian traditions and laws. Religious freedom does not
include freedom to convert people of other religions using force, fraud or
allurements. Missionaries in India have converted their religion into a commodity
and are indulging in its shameless marketing." Slamming the Pope's reported
remarks as "crass interference in the domestic affairs of India",
he said, "before preaching to the Indian Government, let the Pope allow
religious freedom in Vatican city. People living in glass houses better not
attempt to throw stones at others".
Reacting to the Pope's comments, the Government
had yesterday said it was "acknowledged universally" that India
is secular and all religious faiths enjoy equal rights.
