'Spewing venom against minorities': Congress slams RSS over 'anti-Christian' article

Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress on Sunday condemned the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), accusing the powerful Hindu nationalist group of displaying an "anti-Christian stance" following an article critical of the minority community in its Malayalam publication.

The ulterior motive behind the recent article that appeared on "Kesari" is to once again spread hatred in society and to portray Christians as the enemy of the country in the name of religious conversion, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal alleged.

In a hard-hitting statement, the Congress leader sought to know whether the BJP was prepared to reject the stance against the minority community that was adopted by the RSS in the article.

Taking a dig at the right-wing group, Venugopal alleged that the Sangh Parivar's professed love for Christians was as fake as the 'blue fox' of fable- -which cannot stop howling, no matter how much it is painted.

"The RSS, which has become accustomed to spewing venom against minorities, is declaring (through the article) that it will continue its practice until its last breath," he alleged.

The article further exposed the right-wing outfit's "anti-Christian stance", he alleged.

Referring to the recent arrest and release of two Catholic nuns from the state in Chhattisgarh, Venugopal said the true faces of those who went and took photos with them, including the state BJP chief, have been revealed through this article.

He urged the people of the state to be vigilant against the blind "anti-minority" sentiments of Sangh Parivar organisations.

The Congress's criticism against the RSS came two days after an article, penned by E S Biju, the state vice president of the right wing outfit Hindu Aikyavedi, appeared in "Kesari".

In the article titled "Aagola Mathaparivarthanathinte Nalvazhikal" (The timeline of global religious conversion), the writer targets the Christian community over alleged religious conversions that have happened in the country over these years.

Pointing out the recent incident of the arrest of two Catholic nuns from Kerala in Chhattisgarh, alleging religious conversion and human trafficking, the article alleged that the political and religious leadership in the state tried to foster "religious and emotional conflict with a specific agenda" in connection with the incident.

"It questions the essence of the Indian Constitution. The current situation in the state is that there is one justice for minority religions and another for the majority," the article said, adding that the rules of the country are equal for everyone.

If conversion is the right of religious forces, resistance against it is the right and duty of Hindus, it further pointed out.

The article said that the current "strange situation" in the country must be changed, which requires the amendment of the Constitution.

"The demand today is that religious conversion should be banned by law to ensure protection for the entire population of the country," the Kesari article added.