Times of India
MUMBAI/NEW DELHI, Oct 8: The Union Cabinet will, on Wednesday, discuss the recent spate of violence against Christians in Orissa and Karnataka amid indicat
ions that some UPA constituents are going to make a strong pitch for a ban on Bajrang Dal.
The role of Bajrang Dal will come up for discussion as part of the report PM Manmohan Singh sought from the home ministry on attacks on Christians in Orissa, Karnataka and some other states.
An influential section in the UPA comprising railway minister Lalu Prasad and steel minister Ramvilas Paswan has long asked for a ban on Bajrang Dal, equating the saffron outfit with outlawed jihadi group SIMI. The advocacy has gained traction with SP transforming itself into a supporter of UPA and, more importantly, because of the reports of atrocities on Christians in Orissa and Karnataka.
The violence against Christians has caused huge embarrassment to the country globally, with both French president Nicholas Sarkozy and the European Union taking up the matter with Manmohan Singh during the latter's visit to France. The anti-Bajrang Dal sentiment found expression in Patna on Wednesday with Union minister of state for home Shakeel Ahmad arguing for a ban on the militant Hindutva body.
Significantly, there are indications that the home ministry report also mentions the provocative activities of the New Life Christian church. Intelligence agencies have reported that literature produced and distributed by this denomination was a major source of disquiet in Karnataka and other states. While the mainstream Catholic church has been found to be working within the confines of anti-conversion law, the New Life movement has been accused of brazenly indulging in conversions using questionable means.
In fact, the Catholic hierarchy is itself concerned about the activities of the New Life movement which, reports from Kerala and Karnataka suggest, is allegedly taking many faithful away from the mainstream church. Its publications, for instance 'Satya Darshini', are seen by many as having painted Hindu gods and goddesses in extremely poor light with a view to shake poor Hindus' faith in them.
Sources said the book 'Satya Darshini' - first written in Telugu by one Rev S Paravastu and later translated into Kannada and revised by one Rev Samson Malekar of Davangere in Karnataka - ridicules Hindu deities, arguing that they were incapable of delivering the Hindu souls.