KERALA, INDIA (ANS) -- Dr. Bernard Blessing, a Ghana-based evangelist was scheduled to preach on the second day at a Christian meeting, titled “Power Conference,” organized by Harvest Television and Productions and Divine Blessing Empowers from November 2-5, at a Stadium in Trivandrum, Kerala state.

Dr. Bernard Blessing

But the Kerala state Police restrained from preaching and group of Hindu radicals protested the meeting on Tuesday, November 3, 2009.

According to the national newspaper THE HINDU, on Monday, the Commissioner of Police had issued a notice to the organizers of the meeting asking them to clarify with the Indian Union Ministry of External Affairs if Dr. Blessing possessed the “Missionary Visa” for preaching at such religious congregations.

The sources said, the Commissioner said in his latest notice to Dr. Blessing that the organizers were not able to furnish any document showing that the evangelist possessed the visa clearance for preaching or speaking at religious meetings.

It was known from the sources that, the commissioner warned the evangelist that the police would register a case against him under Section 14 of the Foreigners’ Registration Act if he were found to have violated visa conditions.
The Commissioner is also the District Foreigners’ Registration Officer and he has the right to warn on this matter.

The sources cited, in a notice issued to Dr. Blessing he was asked to refrain from activities that would constitute violation of the norms of the visa granted to him by the Indian government.

The police served the notice to Dr. Bernard at his room in Mascot Hotel late on Tuesday.

Also a tense situation prevailed in the city for some time with Hindu radical groups Aikya Vedi and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activists gathering in strength near the meeting venue in a bid to prevent Mr. Blessing from addressing the congregation.

The police keep the peace as Hindu Aikya Vedi and RSS activists gather near the Stadium in the city on Tuesday to prevent Bernard Blessing, evangelist, from addressing believers.

According to the newspaper, RSS district chief P. Sudhakaran said his organization would prevent Dr. Blessing from speaking at the congregation on Wednesday. He also said RSS activists would blockade vehicles ferrying believers to the venue.

The activists started raising slogans when Mr. Blessing addressed the gathering. But within a few minutes, the Commissioner reached the venue and asked the organizers to tell Mr. Blessing to stop his speech. The evangelist wound up his speech within a few minutes.

The protesters courted arrest peacefully and they were later let off on bail. On 3rd November, Hindu organizations took out a protest march to the convention, the extremists even engaged in a minor scuffle with the police near the State Central Library.

The protest march started at 7.30 p.m. but the police blocked it before it reached the venue. Later, the police also arrived at the prayer meeting, after which Blessing returned to the Mascot Hotel where he is staying.

While hundreds of Hinduvta activists were removed from the area, no arrests were registered, the police said.

The police are of the opinion that the caretaker of the police stadium, currently an Assistant Commandant of the Armed Reserve Police, should seek the clearance of the Commissioner before hiring it out for private functions.

According to the news source, Dr. Blessing is learnt to have left the city for Kochi after receiving the notice. The police said he would fly from Kochi to Mumbai from where he would leave the country.

Speaking to ANS the organizers said that Dr. Blessing left on Wednesday November 4.

James Varghese is a reporter for Masihat newspaper in India, and is also a freelance journalist working for ANS.