Hindu fundamentalist loss in India means ban on relegious conversions axed.(my own title)

BBC ^ | 18 May | Sampath Kumar

[Cronos]

By Sampath Kumar
BBC correspondent in Madras

 

 

In the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister Jayalalitha has withdrawn a series of political decisions taken in the last two years.

The move comes after her party, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazakham (AIADMK) suffered a huge defeat in recent national elections.

The policies axed by Jayalalitha include a controversial ban on religious conversions.

The one year old law is strongly opposed by religious minorities.

Voters 'alienated'

It gave the authorities the power to impose penalties and jail terms for those involved in religious conversions through "coercion" or the offer of money and other benefits.

The law was strongly opposed by Christians, Muslims and low caste Hindus as an attempt to curb freedom of religious practise.

Political observers say this step may have brought the AIADMK closer to the Bharatiya Janata Party - the main constituent in the governing coalition - but alienated many Muslims and Christians opposed to the anti-conversion law.

In last week's parliamentary elections, the AIADMK-BJP alliance could not win even one of the 40 seats in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry and lost heavily to a powerful alliance comprising the regional Dravida Munnetra Kazakham (DMK) party and the Congress party.

Along with lifting the ban on conversions, Jayalalitha also restored free electricity supplies to farmers.

Stringent punishments handed down to government employees who went on strike in April have also been cancelled, and the income ceiling required to receive food grains at subsidized prices has been removed.

Analysts say the measures seem to be aimed at wooing voters well before the state elections due in two years time

[Cronos]

Seems like the fundamentalist's loss is good for the country.

[ambrose]

Along with lifting the ban on conversions, Jayalalitha also restored free electricity supplies to farmers. Stringent punishments handed down to government employees who went on strike in April have also been cancelled, and the income ceiling required to receive food grains at subsidized prices has been removed.

You mean good for the Commies and other lay-abouts..

[AntiGuv]

...religious conversions through "coercion" or the offer of money and other benefits.

Wish someone would pay me to convert, to whatever..

[neither-nor]

Seems like the fundamentalist's loss is good for the country.

Not completely, it isn't. (In this case two double negatives are still a negative)

[Cronos]

hmmm... how DOES a removal of the ban on conversion help COMMUNISTS?

[Cronos]

YEs it is -- it gets rid of a centrist party that supported religious discrimination against Christians with a centrist party that supports secularism. The Congress DID start the reforms process, you know

[futureceo31]

Most christians in India were deadset against the BJP (the ex-ruling party). We had a lynching of an american missionary and in Tamil Nadu, my family is involved in missionary work and they could have had people informing on them for no other reason than dislike, and property could have been confiscated and people thrown into jail. It was pretty dire especailly with all the American money flowing into the country. So this is a GOOD THING overall...

[neither-nor]

The Congress was also responsible for half a century's worth of socialism. And as for a secular track record, Congress leaders have been the originators of religion- based politicking in India.