The Hindu : Karnataka / Mangalore News : Rationalists refute politicians' claim

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 21, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Mangalore

Rationalists refute politicians' claim

By Our Staff Correspondent

MANGALORE, JAN. 20. The Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations has refuted the allegations from a section of political parties in the State that rationalists were doing nothing to expose "the so-called faith healers.''

Addressing presspersons here, the federation president, Narendra Nayak, said rationalists in the country were exposing the "skills'' of such faith healers for the past many years.

He said the federation was challenging the American evangelist, Benny Hinn, to cure patients sent by the rationalists. If the Government provided proper security to them he was ready to expose such actions in front of all in Bangalore.

Mr. Nayak said the rationalists were also challenging those persons who claimed that they would cure cancers and AIDS.

Two years ago, when a faith healer named Alex Orbito came to the country a campaign by rationalists drove him away from Bangalore.

At that time it was a BJP MP and former Police Commissioner of Bangalore who had supported Mr. Orbito. If the BJP was opposing the visit of faith healers, it should ask its MP to lead a campaign against Benny Hinn.

Mr. Nayak said in Dakshina Kannada the rationalists had been campaigning against such irrational prayer meetings for the past 30 years. They had exposed many such irrational claims.

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