Using US President Barack Obama's comments about religious freedom, Congress on Tuesday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, questioning whether he would "listen" to him and ask the Sangh Parivar, including RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, to stop justifying religious conversions.
"Obama reminds us of Article 25 of Indian Constitution of the right of every citizen of India to progress practice and propagate his religion," Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh tweeted. He thanked Obama for "speaking up for the Indian Citizen's rights to profess practice and propagate his religious belief."
Targeting the Prime Minister, Singh wrote, "Would Modi take his friend Barack's advice and ask his friends in VHP to shut up and request (RSS Chief) Mohan Bhagwat to stop justifying 'Ghar Vapsi (religious re-conversions)'?" There have been some incidents of religious conversions recently in some places of the country which the Sangh Parivar has justified as Ghar Vapsi.
Digvijay advised Modi not to mind if he was at the receiving end of some unsavoury remarks on social media by religious fundamentalists. "Mr. Modi are you listening?" he asked. Striking a similar note on Twitter, Youth Congress said, "We hope #Modi takes lessons from @BarackObama speech & redirects his vision from coercion & conversion to something +ve!! #Obama".
Congress' attack came after Obama made a strong pitch for religious tolerance contending that every person has the right to practice one's faith without any persecution and that India will succeed so long it is not "splintered" on religious lines.
"Every person has the right to practice his faith without any persecution, fear or discrimination. India will succeed so long it is not splintered on religious lines," Obama told the audience just before wrapping up his three-day visit.
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