Saturday, March 4 2006 17:10 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Ahmedabad: Inflation, appeasement of minorities, and religious conversions will be among the top issues which will be highlighted by the BJP in the upcoming Assembly elections in the five states, party President Rajnath Singh said today (Mar 04 2006).

"The issue of inflation in the country will be on top of our agenda during the forthcoming elections," Singh, who is on a two-day tour to Gujarat, told sources here.

Singh said that the party will take a strong stance against "appeasement of minorities and religious conversions" during the elections.

"As far as religious conversions are concerned we have already directed the BJP-ruled states to take stern measures against those indulging in conversions through allurement, force and fear," Singh said.

"We have also asked the respective administrations to pave way for the willing converts to return back to the (Hindu) fold," he said.

Singh said, "the demographic profile of many areas in the country has undergone a speedy change because of these conversions." It is the poor who are becoming target of religous conversions, he said.

"We do not have any objections to Christian missionaries in coming to India to serve, but BJP will not tolerate any conversions attempts," Singh said.

The BJP president also criticised the "appeasement" policies of the UPA government. "Despite directions from the judiciary, the union government was trying to accord a minority status to Aligarh Muslim University (AMU)," Singh claimed.