Zoomed Vinay Special · First-person editorial

The "Conversion Machine" Claim About Andhra Pradesh, Checked. The Census Counted Fewer Christians in 2011. YSR's Government Funded Christian Pilgrimage, Banned Other Faiths' Preaching at Tirumala. K.A. Paul Sued YSR.

Eight claims about religion, money and power in Andhra Pradesh, told from the beginning and checked against the census tables, the government orders and the court files: what YSR's government paid for, the Tirumala law it passed in the same term, what the pastors' "salaries" really were, what the Supreme Court has now said about converts and caste certificates, and the whole court record of K.A. Paul, who once called YSR a friend and then sued him. Accused is not convicted, a claim is not a fact, and I tell you which is which, every time. Where the first version of this file was wrong, I say so.

Written by Zoomed Vinay

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The point of view

Hyderabad, 8 June 2007. An evangelist calls a press conference and accuses the Chief Minister. Two weeks later he sues him. You have heard Andhra Pradesh called a conversion laboratory, with these two men as its machine. I checked that against the documents. The census counted 11,81,917 Christians in the undivided state in 2001 and 11,29,784 in 2011: fewer people, in a population that grew by 84 lakh. YSR's government did put public money into Christian pilgrimage and church repairs, and it also passed a law against preaching other religions at Tirumala. K.A. Paul says YSR was once his friend; in 2007 he became his accuser, then a litigant against him; the Delhi High Court dismissed that suit on procedure, without deciding the allegations, and I found no conviction against Paul. Every claim graded; our first version corrected.

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verified · Court report

New Indian Express — non-bailable warrant issued against K. A. Paul

The New Indian Express

The point of view

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Reporting and perspective, clearly labeled.

An American Database Marks 2,033 of India's 2,263 Communities "Unreached" for Church Planting. Most Indians Have Never Seen It. I Read It.

Source Library

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Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India, Census of India 2011, Table C-01: Population by religious community, India (DDW00C-01)

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