The Hindu : Quit notice to U.S. missionary

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 21, 2003

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Quit notice to U.S. missionary

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM JAN. 20. The Rural SP, T.K. Vinod Kumar, today issued a notice to the American Missionary, Joseph Cooper, who was attacked by suspected RSS workers at Kilimanoor on Friday last, to leave the country within a week.

Mr. Kumar, exercising his powers as a Foreigners Registration Officer, told The Hindu that Mr. Cooper, who was travelling on a tourist visa, was found to have violated visa norms by taking part in religious activities. Mr. Kumar said the notice was served immediately after Mr. Cooper was discharged from a private hospital in the city.

Meanwhile, the police are learned to be collecting intelligence on the activities of certain `gospel groups' suspected of upsetting communal peace by conducting conversion campaigns among Dalits and tribal communities in the rural parts of the State. The police are attempting to find out whether the groups are getting any foreign funding and what their activities are.

Police sources said Mr. Cooper has been travelling on a multiple entry tourist visa issued by the Ministry of External Affairs in 2000. The sources said a foreigner travelling on tourist, visit or student visa is not permitted to speak at religious meetings.

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