Rahul Gandhi is meeting "divisive personalities": TN BJP chief after Catholic priest George Ponnaiah's controversial statement
Chennai: Reacting to Catholic priest George Ponnaiah's controversial statement "Jesus Christ is the real God, not like Shakti," Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai said that Rahul Gandhi is meeting "divisive personalities".
Speaking about George Ponnaiyan, Annamalai said, "Nothing new in what George Ponnaiyan has done. What is striking is the personalities RG is meeting. He is meeting divisive personalities." "George Ponnaiyan has spoken badly against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Bharat Mata. Rahul Gandhi said it is Bharat Jodo Yatra but it is like Bharat Todo Yatra. Hardly 500 attended the meet in Kanyakumari. Walkathon is like how he is walking. This yatra is doing nothing to register in people's minds."
Speaking on forced conversion, he said, "I am in receipt of the letter and it is alarming that the state child protection officers had gone to a CSI Monhatan school and it was found that students were forced to convert into Christianity and were ill treated. The NCPCR is saying that state officials are not taking action and are supporting the facility. No action has been taken and this shows how the state government is trying to protect those who are involved. Children are saying they are forced to convert."
When asked if forced religious conversion is increasing in the state, the state BJP chief said, "We have to look at the number and many officials support certain organisations. To ordinary people, the forced conversion has become a menace."
"BJP will be forced to file a writ petition to make the government act against forced conversion," he added.
Meanwhile, Annamalai called Rahul Gandhi "India's divider and chief" after a row erupted over his meeting with George Ponnaiah.
"India's divider & chief Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Todo Elite walkathon with 60 air-conditioned caravans concluded in Kanyakumari after meeting Andolan Jeevi (some of whom were slapped sedition charges during UPA), Anti-Nationals & divisive elements of our society," K Annamalai tweeted.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is on a 150-day-long Bharat Jodo Yatra, on Friday met a controversial catholic priest George Ponnaiah in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu.
A video clip of Rahul Gandhi's interaction with the Tamil Nadu pastor went viral, in which Rahul Gandhi can be heard asking, "Jesus Christ is a form of God? Is that right?" to which the Tamil Nadu priest George Ponniah replied, "He is the real God."
Ponniah goes on to say, "God reveals him(self) as a man, a real person...not like Shakti...so we see a human person."
Ponniah has a history of delivering provocative statements that have landed him in trouble in the past. He was arrested last year in July in Kallikudi, Madurai for allegedly making a 'hate speech' against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, DMK Minister and others.
Rahul Gandhi met him at the Muttidichan Parai Church, Puliyoorkurichy where he camped for a morning break on Friday. BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla attacked Rahul Gandhi, "George Ponnaiah who met Rahul Gandhi says Jesus is the only God unlike Shakti (& other Hindu Gods)".
He further said, "Earlier he was arrested for his bigotry remark, when he said, "I wear shoes because impurities of Bharat Mata should not contaminate us."
Pastor George Ponnaiah was arrested last year in July for his hate speech targeting the Hindu community. He made contentious remarks in a meeting on July 18, 2021, at Arumanai in Tamil Nadu. (ANI)
