Evangelist Benny Hinn's Bangalore visit cancelled
Updated: January 14, 2014 18:14 IST
American evangelist Benny Hinn's visit to Bangalore to
participate in a five-day religious programme beginning from Wednesday
has been cancelled.
Disclosing this to the media on
Tuesday, Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Kamal Pant
said the organisers of the religious convention had informed the police
that Benny Hinn's visit to the city has been cancelled due to a “visa
problem”.
However, the five day religious programme
to be organised at Jalahalli on the outskirts of Bangalore will be held
as per schedule with many speakers from across the country expected to
address the gathering. “Adequate security has been provided to ensure
law and order,” City Police Commissioner Raghavendra Auradkar said.
The
cancellation of Benny Hinn's visit to Bangalore comes amidst widespread
protests against his participation by various organisations including
right wing groups as well as rationalists.
The
cancellation of the visit comes even after the Karnataka High Court on
Friday directed the State Police “to take necessary precautionary
measures for maintaining peace in the city” during the five-day event to
be held from January 15 to 19.
A Division Bench
comprising Chief Justice D.H. Waghela and Justice B.V. Nagarathna had
issued the directions on Friday while disposing off a petition by Sri
Rama Sene’s city unit questioning the Bangalore City Police’s inaction
on its representation to restrain Benny Hinn from participating in the
religious event as a similar congregation in 2005 had “disturbed peace”
in the city.
