----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Robin Viegas <[email protected]> Sent: Thu, 7 October, 2010 1:25:05 Subject: [Gulf Goans] ‘Weed out Christians’ speech works against BJP ... TOI 5 Oct From: [email protected] ‘Weed out Christians’ speech works against BJPPublished Date: October 5, 2010 The anti-Christian comment made by a BJP politician in Karnataka is undoing the pro-Hindu party’s efforts to woo Catholic votes in Goa, a party official says. BJP’s national secretary and Goa desk in-charge Arti Mehra, who was in Goa recently, admitted that such statements were undoing her work to increase Christian votes for the party by some 10 percent, reported Times of India. She was referring to a speech made by Prahlad Remani, a BJP member in Karnataka legislative assembly, in which he asked people “to weed” out Christians from India. Remani, the representative from Khanapur area was speaking at an an Independence Day function in his constituency. He also urged people to remain watchful against the spread of the “seeds of Christianity” in society. She visited this adversely affected her in Goa to dispel the notion that BJP is a sectarian party. She visited Goa few months ago and planned to meet Church leaders. “I will take up this issue with the national president. We are going to reach out to the hearts of Christian voters, not by wooing them, but through our deeds. I am here with a mandate to increase Christian votes by seven 7%-10%,” she said, while in Goa few days ago. When asked if the national BJP was adopting a different approach towards Christians in Karnataka and Goa, where Christians are politically powerful, she said BJP does not support Remani’s statements. The statements are “his own individual opinion and I condemn it. We are not communal, and I say this on behalf of our national president,” she said. The exercise is part of the state BJP’s preparations for the approaching state assembly polls in 2012. Source: Times of India __._,_.___ Reply to sender | Reply to group | Reply via web post | Start a New Topic Messages in this topic (1) Recent Activity: * New Members 9 * New Links 1 Visit Your Group http://www.goa-world.com http://www.live365.com/stations/61664 Live Konkani Music http://www.youtube.com/uly334 Konkani Video's Online http://www.mahableshwar.com/ Addresses: Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [email protected] Unsubscribe: [email protected] List owner: [email protected] URL to this page: http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/gulf-goans MARKETPLACE Stay on top of your group activity without leaving the page you're on - Get the Yahoo! Toolbar now. ________________________________ Hobbies & Activities Zone: Find others who share your passions! Explore new interests. ________________________________ Get great advice about dogs and cats. Visit the Dog & Cat Answers Center. Switch to: Text-Only, Daily Digest • Unsubscribe • Terms of Use . __,_._,___
