Puri (Orissa): VHP on Sunday alleged that
foreign funds were being used for large scale religious
conversion while Hindu leaders were being harassed and falsely
implicated.
"Centre is encouraging religious conversion in parts
of the country. Foreign funds are being used for conversion
with Centre`s full knowledge," VHP international president
Ashok Singhal said at a spiritual convention here.
Charging Centre with failing to protect Hindu
religion, Indian culture and democracy, he claimed that about
1.5 lakh temples and mutts in states like Orissa, Andhra
Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala were on the verge of ruin due
to negligence by Centre as well as respective state
governments.
Claiming that Hindu spiritual leaders and sadhus were
being targeted, Singhal said about 17,000 cases with false
charges had been slapped against sadhus in Orissa.
Shankaracharya of Kanchi was falsely implicated, he
said.
Referring to Maoist menace, Singhal said foreign funds
and arms were being used for spread of naxal activities in
states like Orissa, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh
while governments remained mute spectators.
Hitting out at Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik,
Singhal said the state is virtually under `foreign rule` with
scant regard for its culture, religion and tradition while
religious conversion was rampant.
PTI
