Kozhikode (Kerala), Apr 1 (PTI) Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal on Wednesday accused the CPI(M) of turning Kerala into a land of bombs and violence, and contended that the people want a peaceful state.
Venugopal, while leading a ‘peace march’ at Vadakara here, said that the Left government was facilitating the manufacture and use of bombs in the state.
“The CPI(M) has turned the state into a land of bombs. We need a peaceful state,” he alleged, while talking to reporters here.
Venugopal, the MP from Alappuzha, also said that the Congress-led opposition in the Parliament will not permit passage of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) Amendment Bill.
He claimed that the central government was trying to get the Bill passed in the two remaining days of the Parliament session when a majority of opposition MLAs were involved in the election campaign in various poll-bound states.
“We will not let that happen. We have asked all MPs, who are not absolutely required in the poll campaign, to return to Delhi,” he said.
Venugopal claimed that just like the Waqf Act amendement were aimed at controlling assets of the Muslim community, the changes to the FCRA are being attempted with an eye on the Christian community.
He said that a good majority of the charitable and philanthropic activities in Kerala were carried out by Christian groups or organisations using foreign contributions.
The bill also aims to control such activities, he added.
A bill to amend the FCRA was introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 25, with the government making it clear that individuals engaging in forced religious conversion through foreign funding will not be spared.
Introducing the Bill, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai had stated that the legislation aims to enhance transparency and ensure proper utilisation of funds received from abroad.
Describing the proposed law as “completely unconstitutional,” Venugopal had on Tuesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP of “attempting to divide” people who are living peacefully and create tensions among them.
The BJP has termed the Congress claims regarding the Bill as “lies”.
The saffron party has also described the Bill as a positive move by the central government to deal with the laundering of money received as a foreign contribution. PTI HMP ADB
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