Monday, April 18 2005 17:20 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Ahmedabad: Gujarat Government's stand against religious conversions in the State was the main reason for him being denied a visa to the United States recently, Chief Minister Narendra Modi said today (Apr 18, 2005).

Without making any direct reference to himself, Modi said, while speaking at the launch function a weekly magazine, "A person from Gujarat was not allowed to visit US because he does not allow religious conversions in his State."

"They (Americans) think that by providing monetary benefits, they can conduct (religious) conversions in the State. But that person (Modi) did not allow it to happen and so was denied a visa", he said.

"Hindu society is flexible, absorbs new ideas and keeps on evolving with changing times'', Modi said, adding that it was not so with other religions who were more rigid in character. Hindu Samaj has accepted various changes be it related to widow-remarriage, cremation or any other matter, Modi said.

Modi said that the journalists belonging to the English media have changed the actual meaning of the word 'secularism', in India.

"Psuedo-secularists writing in English newspapers do not know what's right and wrong regarding secularism and such persons have changed the meaning of secularism," he added.