The All India Christian Council on Saturday accused Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee of supporting the criminal activities of the Sangh Parivar, particularly those of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal and the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, against religious minorities in India.

"There has been a sharp rise in attacks on minorities of late. Parts of Gujarat remain under curfew and Christian missionaries have been attacked or threatened in many states, including Delhi and Kerala," the council's secretary general John Dayal said in Patna.

Dayal was in the Bihar capital for the multi-religion Sadhbhavna Yatra, which has so far been through Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and the states of Andhra Pradesh and Orissa.

He said the utter absence of disapproval and reproach from those in authority has emboldened the followers of the Sangh Parivar's 'neo-Nazi and fascist ideals' that victimize religious minorities.

"The judiciary and the police, as part of the machinery enforcing the rule of the law in the Indian democracy, should take suo moto action against the criminal fulminations of VHP leaders Praveen Togadia and Ashok Singhal, as well as of the assertions of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi that his version of Hindutva rules, and will rule the country," he said.

Dayal also expressed concern at moves to enforce anti-conversion laws in the country.

More reports from Bihar