Paramaribo (Surinam): A conflict between the rightist and leftist viewpoints caused uproar at the World Hindi Conference and stalled its proceedings for over half an hour.

Controversy arose on the first day of the conference on June 6 evening when a write-up of the editor of the pro-Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) weekly Panchjanya, Tarun Vijay was circulated in the conference. It charged leftist journalists with creating an atmosphere of hatred within India and ignoring fundamentals of Indian civilization and culture.

The article charged that after India's independence, so-called progressive and leftist journalists beholden to foreign countries, became powerful converting ideological difference into enemity and used the pen as a weapon to curb freedom of thought.

Circulation of the article caused an immediate uproar with some taking exception to its tone and tenor and demanding its withdrawal.

PTI