P Chidambaram calls Tamil Nadu BJP's allegation of forced religious conversion absurd, false
India Today
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram has called the Tamil Nadu BJP's allegation of forced religious conversion as absurd and false.
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Monday said allegations of forced religious conversion raised by the BJP in Tamil Nadu are absurd and false.
Speaking to media after filing nomination for Rajya Sabha seat, Chidambaram said, "From my first standard to college I studied in Christian institutions. This [Religious conversion allegation] is absurd and false."
Recently, allegations of forced religious conversion were raised by the state BJP over the death of a girl student who was studying in a Christian school in Tamil Nadu's Thanjavur. State BJP chief Annamalai had claimed that forced conversion was happening across Tamil Nadu and a complaint from a government school student at Kannattuvilai in Kanniyakumari district in April was the 'latest proof'.
READ | Tamil is eternal, says PM Modi after Stalin rakes up Hindi imposition
"There are thousands of children studying in Christian schools. Several generations have benefited from Christian schools and colleges. Nobody has attempted to convert anyone. This is a false accusation. This must be nipped in the bud and I’m sure that the people of Tamil Nadu will nip it in the bud," Chidambaram added.
Reacting to the raids on Karti, Chidambaram said the raids were a way to target the Congress party. I’m a man who reflects the policies of Congress firmly. So, they are afraid of the policies of the Congress party, he said.
During PM Modi's visit to Chennai, Tamil Nadu CM Stalin delivered the speech ahead of PM Modi. Reacting to the criticism raised by the BJP, Chidambaram said, "Proper respect was given to the prime minister when he came to inaugurate beneficiary schemes worth Rs 32,000 crore. PM spoke about the schemes his government has implemented, which is correct, while CM sought the funds needed to implement state schemes, which is also correct. How can you say that one spoke right and the other was wrong?”
