BJP has decided to strike a chord with Christian religious leaders by having a direct interaction with them, a senior party leader said.
BJP's national secretary Arati Mehra, who is down in Goa, will meet priests at Fr Agnelo Ashram near here tomorrow, as an exercise to `wipe out misconceptions about the party amongst the minority community'. "I will interact with Fr Joseph from Fr Agnelo Ashram. We will meet more Catholic leaders in the state in the days to come," Mehra told a news conference in Panaji. She said if required BJP's national leader Nitin Gadkari may be invited to have a dialogue with the Christian community leaders. "We can even interact with Archbishop, if we get his appointment," Mehra added. "They (priests) have reacted positively and want to invite us in their assembly and interact with us," Mehra, former mayor of Delhi, said. Goa will face Legislative Assembly elections in 2012. Mehra said the party will gain majority seats in the state and provide good governance here after 2012 elections. "People are fed up of the rampant corruption in the state. We want to provide them solace," she said. After interaction with state BJP leaders, she said the voting from the catholic community needs to be increased by at least five to seven per cent in the state. She said Congress has spread large-scale misconception about the party amongst minority community. "We want to pass on the message that we are political party with ideology and nationalistic views. We are not anti minority," Mehra said. The BJP leader said Modi government rule in Gujarat is a unique example how BJP is not indifferent towards minority. "Narendra Modi has got elected from Muslim dominated constituencies often and even in his rule Muslims are part of the development," she added. http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_bjp-talks-to-christians-in-goa-ahead-of-polls_1427096 COMMENT: Beware of strangers (BJP) bearing gifts. Their track record should first improve in the rest of India; Okay! That last statement beggars belief - Muslims must be stupid to touch his feet after so many of their own got massacred? Please warn your folks! -- DEV BOREM KORUM Gabe Menezes. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ISSUES BEING DEBATED: In East Africa, despite colonialism, the British afforded the Goan a sliver of a socio-political voice. Read *Into The Diaspora Wilderness* by Selma Carvalho. Soon to be available in Toronto. Pp 290. Via mail-order from [email protected] http://selmacarvalho.squarespace.com/
