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VHP hopes Pope's visit will remove misgivings

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad today expressed the hope that the visit of Pope John Paul II to India will remove many apprehensions about the activities of the church in the country, especially regarding the mass conversions of Hindus to Christianity.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, VHP's international working president Ashok Singhal welcomed the visit of the pontiff as an opportunity for the Pope to ''create a harmonious condition for peaceful co-existence.''

He said mass conversion is incompatible with any spiritual motive and violates the constitutional provisions of the country. The Constitution provides for the right to practice and profess any religion, but it does not give any certificate for conversions.

Mass conversions in the country were being carried out with a motive to create a ''Christian land,'' he alleged and claimed that in the northeast and Goa, Hindus were feeling threatened due to atrocities committed against them.

He sought an apology from the Pope about the happenings in Goa, Kerala and Vasai where ''Hindus have constantly been subjected to harassment at the hands of Christians''.

He also claimed that the reports of certain attacks on Christians by Hindu fundamentalists were aimed at tarnishing the image of Hindus internationally and ''such reports were all concocted.''

He said the VHP has written to the archbishop for an appointment with the Pope during his November 5 to 8 visit to inform him of the ''disinformation campaign launched by his followers in India.''

UNI

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