American evangelist and miracle healer Benny Hinns’ visit to IT city Bangalore has evoked strong protests across the State by rightwing organisations and saffron groups. Benny Hinn is visiting Bangalore and will have religious sessions at the outskirts of the city from January 15 onwards. The right wing groups allege that Hinn’s miracle healing ends up in conversion and misguiding innocents in the process. In fact, when Benny Hinn visited Bangalore in 2005, there were massive violent protests.
As protests across the State have increased, a swami from Hubli attempted a self immolation bid in protest against the evangelist’s visit. Pranavanand Swamiji, was staging a protest to urge the Government not to allow Hinn’s entry in Karnataka. Hinn is expected to attend a prayer conference, organised by the Bethel AG Church, in Bangalore between January 15 to 19.
The Opposition BJP in Karnataka is also opposing Hinn’s religious discourse. According to BJP media coordinator S Prakash Hinn was a fraud and he is controversial. Prakash said “ when he came last time he compared idol worship to prostitution. It has hurt the sentiments of Hindus. We should not allow him to exploit gullible people.”
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was the Deputy Chief Minister during his visit in 2005. The rightwing organisations feel Hinn will not only preach but indulge in conversion. Many rationalist organisations in the city also opposed Hinn’s miracles by saying he was deceiving innocent people.
But P Chamarajan, organiser of the event and part of Bethel AG Church, said Benny Hinn’s conference this time was different from the previous one. He said “last time it was a public programme. But this time, it was a private programme. We are charging `850 per participant. There is no room for conversions, it is only for Christians.”
About 25,000 people are expected to attend the conference, as against the crowd of over 2 lakh people that participated in the healing and spiritual programme in 2005.
In another development Karnataka High court’s Division Bench comprising Chief Justice DH Waghela and Justice BV Nagarathna disposed off a petition by Sri Rama Sene’s city unit seeking the Government to ban Benny Hinn. However, the Congress Government said there was no controversy in Hinn’s visit to Bangalore.
Meanwhile Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) welcomed the decision of the High court of Karnataka and said it protects the minorities rights under the Constitution.
Dr Sajan K George, chairman of GCIC, blamed some rightist organisations taking advantage of Hinn’s visit to garner Hindu votes.