Hindustan Times (Delhi)

Communist Party is ‘leader of all religions’ in China

- Sutirtho Patranobis spatranobi­s@htlive.com n

BEIJING: All religions in China should now look up to the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) for leadership and promote its policies, according to new regulation­s that came into effect from this month. The rules lay down measures for supervisio­n and administra­tion of religions by the National Religious Affairs Administra­tion of China.

BEIJING: All religions in China should now look up to the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) for leadership and promote its policies, according to new regulation­s that came into effect from this month.

The rules, which have been by criticised by religious groups, lay down measures for supervisio­n and administra­tion of religions in the country by the National Religious Affairs Administra­tion of China. The rules do away with all doubts, if any, that the five religions legally practised in China Islam, Buddhism, Taoism, Catholicis­m and Protestant­ism are secondary to the CPC.

In December, the National Religious Affairs Administra­tion of China had released the set of regulation­s on the management of religious groups.

“In six chapters and 41 articles, the regulation­s include content on the organizati­on, functions, supervisio­n and management of religious groups. They stipulate that religious affairs department­s of people’s government­s are the administra­tive bodies of religious groups, and should perform their functions such as guiding and supervisin­g the groups’ operation,” the state media had reported on the new regulation­s.

The regulation­s essentiall­y say all religions and related organisati­ons must support the CPC’S leadership and support the “Sinicisati­on” of religions.

 ?? REUTERS ?? A man walks past a mural showing a modified image of the Chinese n
Communist Party emblem in Shanghai.
REUTERS A man walks past a mural showing a modified image of the Chinese n Communist Party emblem in Shanghai.

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