Churches attacked under BJP rule: Moily

New Delhi, Sep 16: Widely pointing out that the Churches were not attacked during Congress rule, senior Congress leader and chief spokesperson Veerappa Moily said, “It was unprovoked violence by the BJP and its allies Bajrang Dal activists. They have taken law into their hands. They started entering Churches, demolishing and desecrating them. Even at the Adoration Church where sisters have been visiting and meditating for 40 years, they have not spared it. It is completely unreasonable."

In a major crackdown after Sunday, Sep 14 attack on 7 churches in Mangalore area, police arrested 53. Though no clashes were reported Mangalore was tense and on tenterhooks.

The Congress party criticised Bharatiya Janata Party"s State government in Karnataka for creating communal terrorism and being a complete failure in acting as a responsible government which should have otherwise protected the Christians from Bajrang Dal activists" attacks.

“In our two districts the Fathers and missionaries have been extending excellent service, like propagating education and doing social service. And, these are mere allegations that they indulge in activities like religious conversions. They don"t indulge in that. When BJP is in power it should have been more responsible. They should not indulge in that. They think power is an instrument of exploitation and creating more confusion. It is a sort of communal terrorism, they are creating," Moily said.

Moily blamed the BJP of misuse of power and using it as a license of causing atrocities against minorities.

“When they are in power, the BJP and others think that they can take law into their hands. Even in the previous government of Kumaraswamy in which there was a combination of Janata Dal and BJP, they were in power and in Mangalore there were attacks on the Muslims. They think the power is an instrument of exploitation and cause assault on other sections. This kind of thing will alienate them. It will create more problems. This kind of environment is not conducive for the democracy of this country," he said.

“As and when the elections are near, they (BJP) think that such kind of action or violence will help them. But the people of the coastal region are most intelligent and cultured. They reject violence. They like cosmopolitan culture. I don"t think this kind of intolerance, hate-culture will help. I think people will reject it," Moily said.

ANI