Tuesday, January 18 2005 16:23 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: Stepping up its campaign against controversial American evangelist Benny Hinn's "Festival of Blessings" three-day programme in Bangalore from Friday (Jan 21), BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) today (Jan 18, 2005) demanded its ban and his arrest, accusing him of making fraudulent claims about miracle healing and deceiving people.

Maintaining that Hinn's claims about miracle healing had been exposed as being "bogus" and the experience of healing found to be "untrue" by the international media, BJP national general secretary Ananth Kumar told reporters in Bangalore that the State Government should also conduct a probe into it.

Kumar said despite a court order for search and seizure of materials relating to the programme, the police had not acted on it, which amounted to contempt of court.

He said the Karnataka Government should clarify as to how permission was given to hold the programme at Jakkur airfield, which was meant for a public purpose of carrying out civil aviation activities and is a prohibited and "secured" area.

Kumar said the status of visa of Hinn -- whether it is a tourist visa or work permit -- should be clarified as also the expenditure that the Government would incur for providing security from the exchequer out of tax payers' money.

"Is it a State-sponsored programme," he asked and accused the Dharam Singh Government of being a "collaborator".

The BJP would fight out "peacefully" against Hinn's programme, he said.

The "Festival of Blessings" has come under attack from the BJP and Sangh Parivar outfits, which accuse Hinn of aiming at religious conversion but the organisers have dismissed any such intention, saying he would only deliver spiritual discourse.