India’s prime minister denounces social work

MUMBAI, India — Newspapers in India have published comments by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, in which he allegedly said that Christian missionaries are using service to the poor and needy as a guise for performing conversions.

Not only are Vajpayee’s comments controversial, but they were made at a function at his residence, said Joseph D’Souza, president of the All India Christian Council. The remarks were made “in front of a gathering of leaders of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, who are, together with other members of the Sangh Parivar, leading the hate campaign against the minority communities and especially against the small Christian community.”