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Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (DV)
Mangaluru, Dec 22: Former union minister and Congress leader B Janardhan Poojary on Monday December 22 lashed out at the BJP and the Sangh Parivar over the conversion row, and said that the unity of the nation is under threat.
Addressing a press meet here, "BJP and Sangha Parivar are spreading hatred in the country. The nation's unity is under threat. Seeing the activities of the Sangh Parivar, we feel doubtful whether democracy exists in India at all. If this continues, India will not have a future."
"For BJP and Sangh Parivar, election is important. They want to win elections at any cost. In UP, they used Love Jihad as a weapon and jumped into the election. Now they are using conversion as a strategy in several states. They are doing bad work by converting Christians and Muslims.
"If you want to give ration cards or houses, just give, but don't lure people with such promises in order to convert them. It is an offence which is spreading like a disease in the country," he said.
"My question to the patriots of this is - Don't you want this country to be secular? Or do you want it to become a Hindu Rashtra of Ashok Singhal and Mohan Bhagwat?" he questioned, adding that forced conversion is a criminal act.
Training guns on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, "The PM assured of development and harmony and gained votes. Only 32 percent voted for him, while the remaining 68 percent did not. But he is not able to fulfill the aspirations of the people. Though his cabinet ministers are saying Muslims should quit the nation, he is not taking any action. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat is talking of forming a Hindu Rashtra. Why are you (Modi) silent?
"Ashok Singhal says Modi is the only Hindu PM. Were Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Morarji Desai and Atal Bihari Vajpayee not Hindus. Country has certain expections from you (Modi). Why are your orders not followed? Your party workers are making you impotent. There is no value for your words. They are devaluing the position of the PM," he said.
Targetting HRD minister Smriti Irani, he said, "Smriti Irani is out to saffronize eduation. What is her qualification? December 25 is the only holiday to celebrate Christmas, and she is giving out circular to hold school competition on that day. When this issue was presented in the Parliament, she was confused. She thinks she is still acting in serials," he said.
He also questioned the PM on the issue of black money and said, "You (Modi) assured that you would get black money back to India. Where is it? What happened to your promises?
On cow slaughter
Reacting to allegations that the state Congress government had withdrawn Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill 2010 and the Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Preservation (Amendment) Bill 2012 because of its 'anti-Hindu' policies, Poojary said, "The BJP is twisting statements. Only the Bills introduced by the previous BJP government were withdrawn. The Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation Act 1964 is still there.
"Don't Hindus eat beef? Do only Muslims and Christians eat it? In Kerala and even in north-eastern states beef is consumed. Don't Sangh Parivar members eat beef? What if Muslims and Christians ask for a separate nation because of this issue? Won't the country be divided?" he said.
"Backward clases and Dalits are also Hindus. Fight for good causes and against bad practices," he advised.
On Religious Endowment Bill
Commenting on the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments (Amendment) Bill, 2014 and the proposal of bringing Maths into government control, he said, "I support this Bill. If there is any problem in a Math, the government will look into it and solve the problem and hand it back to the Math. The government will intervene if there is any issue with the Math or any irregularities, and set it right.
At that moment, a reporter asked why only Maths and temples were proposed to be taken under government control and not worship centres of other religions, to which Poojary, after some hesitation, replied, "This is only on an experimental basis. In future, it may be extended to churches and mosques also."
However, the reporters were not convinced and words were exchanged between Poojary and the press persons, to the extent that Poojary grew angry and resorted to personal attack on the reporter who raised the question.