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No symbolic protest this: forum

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI Oct. 19. Articulating their protest against the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Forcible Conversion of Religion Ordinance, minorities and Opposition parties today staged a massive demonstration in Chennai and all over the State.

"This is not a mere symbolic protest, but beginning of a movement seeking either the repeal of the black law or the downfall of the AIADMK regime," Hyder Ali, general secretary, Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam, who led the protest along with Christian, Muslim and Dalit leaders, under the banner of the Anti-Conversion Ordinance Protest Committee, told mediapersons.

The protesters, who congregated near the Memorial Hall at Park Town here, carried placards claiming that the ordinance challenged the Dalits and other oppressed classes, who were seeking a better life with dignity. The measure was a clear move by the Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, to "appease the saffron brigade".

Leaders of church organisations representing various denominations told the protesters that they should not rest until the ordinance was withdrawn. Rejecting the government contention that the law was meant only to stop conversion by force, allurement or fraudulent means, the minority leaders said there was no evidence of any forcible conversion in the State.

Leaders of the Church of South India (Bishop Devasahayam), the Archdiocese of Madras-Mylapore (Auxiliary Bishop Lawrance Pius) and Chengalpattu (Bishop Dayanandan), the Evangelical Church of India (Ezra Sargunam), the Adventist Church (Benjamin Jayapaul), the PMK, the Indian Union Muslim League, the Indian National League (Tamil Nadu), the TMMK and the Congress extended support to the congregation. They said the ordinance would sound the death knell of India's unity and communal harmony.

Meanwhile, the BJP general secretary, L. Ganesan, said an `anti-conversion conference' would be held in Madurai on Sunday. It would "turn out to be a thanksgiving function for the Chief Minister".

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