Pics: Johnas Sequeira
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (JS)

Mangaluru, Feb 26: The CPI(M) along with Christian leaders of the city on Thursday February 26 held a protest in front of the DC’s office here condemning RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's statement that 'conversion' was the real motive behind Mother Teresa’s service to the poor.

Addressing the protest, CPI(M) district secretary Vasanth Achar said, "India has given shelter to all people. But minorities are being attacked very frequently these days. They are treated as if they are supposed to leave this nation.

"RSS members are determined to break the unity of the nation. They say Christians convert people but I say they do not. People get converted to Christianity on their own wish. Mohan Bhagwat’s allegation about Mother Teresa rendering service to the poor in order to convert them to Christianity is wrong. CPI(M) strongly condemns this."

Oneil D'Souza, director of St Antony Jeppu, said, "This is a sad thing. Mother Teresa who has brought name to the nation has been wrongly accused. She has been awarded with Nobel Prize for her selfless service. Has RSS won at least one Nobel Prize for the nation? Let them serve the poor first like Mother Teresa and then talk."

Yadav Shetty said, "Mother Teresa's service to the poor and contribution to this nation can never be forgotten. When a high-ranking police officer visited her ashram in West Bengal, he saw her treating leprosy patients. She asked him pray to his God for the health of the patients. He never said that Mother was serving the poor and the sick for conversion. RSS accuses Christians of converting but when we asked VHP leader M B Puranik when and where they are converting, he did not have an answer. CPI(M) will fight against evil elements which spread hatred in the society."

Addressing the protesters, Roy Castelino said, "When Mother Teresa visited India, she considered this country as her own. She rendered selfless service to the poor. She treated them and took care of them. RSS people say we convert, but if so, our population would not have been just three percent, it would have been 50 percent. Our priests and nuns through their educational institutions have educated millions of people. We are Indians first."

Muneer Katipalla said, "I never thought anyone would utter such statements about Mother Teresa ever. Mother Teresa served the poor who were marginalized and boycotted by the society. Mohan Bhagwat should have thought twice before uttering such a statement. RSS should realize that if it tries to use the government as remote control and enforce its ideology, then the verdict of the people in the next general elections would be similar to the recent Delhi election."

Vasudev Uchil said, "Mother Teresa and Gandhiji are the people who lived for and served the poor. Mohan Bhagwat is spreading false statements about Mother Teresa. RSS said that they will build a temple in the name of Godse who murdered Gandhi. After Christian missionaries came to India, they have served people by giving quality education, healthcare to the poor, building orphanages and old age homes. What has the RSS done? They have sevaks who are trained to take lathis (sticks) and use it on minorities. CPI(M) will protect the minorities whenever RSS attacks them."

Fr J B Crasta, Fr Francis Almeida, Stany Alvares, Sr Shanthi, Sheldon Crasta, Krishnappa Konchady and others were present during the protest.