Bangalore: RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) on January 28 accused foreign Christian missionaries of resorting to religious propagation by violating the law of the land, and maintained that conversion activities are leading to tensions in the Indian society.

RSS joint spokesman, Ram Madhav, said in Bangalore, "quite of few of Christian missionaries" on tourist visas could be seen in different parts of the country addressing Christian congregations and engaged in religious propagation.

In this regard, he cited the case relating to the attack on American missionary Joseph W Cooper in Kerala recently who was later asked to leave the country for preaching while on a tourist visa.

Madhav clarified that RSS is not involved in the attack on Cooper. "RSS does not subscribe to and support any such violent activities," he told reporters.

Saying that RSS is unfairly blamed whenever such incidents happen, he called for a national debate on the vexed issue of conversion activities of the missionaries that were leading to tensions in the society.

RSS, he said, has come across instances of people turning violent against Christian congregations where RSS has no presence.

Madhav said a relevant 1956 Act makes it clear that no foreign missionaries are allowed to engage in religious propagation but quite a few of them could be seen doing just that.

"There are enough Indian Christian missionaries who are doing propagation. Where is the need for foreign missionaries whose talk and accent are not understood in India," Madhav asked.

PTI