Kesari controversy: Congress questions BJP stance on minorities; KC Venugopal slams ‘anti-Christian’ RSS

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Congress on Sunday slammed RSS, accusing the Hindu group of highlighting an "anti-Christian sentiment" in the article titled 'The Timeline of Global Religious Conversion' in its mouthpiece Kesari.All India Congress Committee general secretary and Alappuzha MP K C Venugopal said the article aims to spread hatred and position Christians as adversaries of the nation under the guise of religious conversion."When the nuns wrongfully detained in Chhattisgarh were released, the true face of those, including the BJP state president who posed with them for photos, was revealed," said Venugopal."The Sangh Parivar's supposed love for Christians is as insincere as the 'blue fox' of fable - which cannot stop howling, no matter how much it is painted. The RSS's habit of spewing venom against minorities will continue until its last breath," said Venugopal.He said that the country must remain vigilant against the blind minority opposition of Sangh Parivar organisations. People recognise that Organiser and Kesari are printed on sheets of hate, Venugopal said.Venugopal sought to know whether BJP was prepared to reject the stance against the minority community that was adopted by the RSS in the article.The Congress's criticism of the RSS came two days after the article written by Hindu Aikyavedi state vice-president E S Biju appeared in Kesari.In the article, the writer targets the Christian community over alleged religious conversions that have occurred in the country over these years.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 article added.Priyanka visits prominent personalitiesCongress leader and MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday met several prominent personalities from cultural, literary and religious spheres in Wayanad constituency, which also covers parts of Kozhikode district, party sources said.Priyanka is on a week-long tour of her constituency.(With inputs from agencies)