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Anti-Christian attacks have tarnished India's image: Fernandes

Defence Minister George Fernandes has said the recent attacks on the Christian community in Gujarat had tarnished the secular image of the country at the international level.

Speaking at a state women Samata Party conference in Patna, Fernandes said that questions were raised by political leaders, journalists and others on the increasing atrocities on the Christian community in the country during his visit to France.

He said it was the constitutional responsibility of the Gujarat government to bring such people to book. He charged the vandals with creating a chasm between the two communities and expressed concern that even such a sensitive issue was politicised by the vested interests.

Referring to the rape of nuns in Madhya Pradesh, Fernandes said there was an attempt to attach colours of caste, religion and politics to rape cases and said any fight against the atrocities on the women would fail if the people were carried away by such emotions.

Criticising the United States for imposing economic sanctions after the nuclear explosion at Pokhran, Fernandes said it was only an act of hegemony by that country, which wanted to keep India backward.

He said the USA had imposed an embargo on technology transfer for 40 years with an intention to check India's military and economic growth. He said that the USA had even imposed sanctions on agricultural laboratories.

UNI

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