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BANGALORE, INDIA, January 24, 2005: A three-day faith show by American evangelist Benny Hinn has left behind a trail of controversies. With the Karnataka government providing the logistics support for the Festival of Blessings that concluded here Sunday night, the high-tech show attracted nearly a million people from all over India and abroad. Though massive protests, a 12-hour shutdown and stray incidents of violence in the city overshadowed the inaugural day, the congregation passed off peacefully during the weekend, much to the relief of the organizers and the state government. While prayers and choir sessions under dazzling lights and special effects drew applause, the healing sessions at the end drew protests and questions by rationalists and right-wing Hindu activists on the “miracle powers” of the Israeli-born Hinn.



The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded the resignation of Dharam Singh for permitting Hinn to conduct the festival and “mislead” the people with his healing powers to cure the sick and terminal patients, says this article. Challenging Hinn’s claims that several people got cured of their diseases by participating in the prayer-cum-healing sessions with the blessings of Jesus Christ, Hindu activists said an equal number of sick went home disappointed with no change in their health condition. Refuting the charges, Hinn told the gathering that God alone was the healer and he simply prayed to invoke the Lord’s blessings to cure the sick and help the poor as Jesus Christ did over 2,000 years ago. Apart from the thousands of Hinn’s followers, political leaders and other VIPs made their presence felt with special prayers and blessings from the controversial evangelist. Among the prominent leaders who graced the occasion with their families included former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, Central Minister Oscar Fernandes, Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh and several Congress leaders.

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