New Delhi, Oct 15: The All India Confederation of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribe organisations today sought repeal of the recent Tamil Nadu government ordinance banning religious conversions saying it was a "last ditch effort by Jayalalithaa government to placate Hindutva forces". "The ordinance is part of Jayalalithaa's efforts to placate and please Sangh Parivar, to get her out of the corruption charges," organisation chairman, Udit Raj told reporters here.

Accusing Jayalilithaa of acting against the minorities at the Centre's behest, he said "Jayalalithaa wants to divert everybody's attention from basic issues like the Cauvery crisis and it looks like she is in hand-in-glove with the Union government." Terming ostracisation and inhuman treatment meted out to Dalits as the basic reason for conversion, Raj exhorted the Sankaracharyas to divide their seats equally among all castes including dalits to facilitate their elevation to the social mainstream.

He urged Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to emulate the open competition policy followed in the business sector in religion too, so as to provide every citizen freedom and right to choose the religion of their interest. Speaking at the occasion Ejaz Ali, president of All India United Muslim Morcha (AIUMM) accused Jayalalithaa of "trying to sabotage the social justice movement spearheaded by dalits in the country."

Raj also announced the holding of a "Gujarat bachao rath yathra," by the aiumm and the SC-ST confederation on October 19, to foster religious harmony in the state.

Bureau Report