Evangelists aide asked to go back

HYDERABAD: A key aide of American evangelist Frank Graham, now in Hyderabad, has been asked to leave the country immediately for violating visa norms. The visit of the evangelist, son of Billy Graham, has been opposed as a conversion mission by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).Graham has been conducting a threeday religious programme, Hyderabad Festival, at the Lal Bahadur Stadium. While his visa has been found valid, his aide, Derek Forbes, is said to have entered the country on a tourist visa, which does not permit him to participate in religious activities. Forbes is the assistant director of the Hyderabad Festival.The Special Branch of the police has prepared a detailed note on the matter and is sending it to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), recommending that it blacklist Forbes.Sources said Forbes explained that he was not aware that a tourist visa forbade him from participating in religious activity.The Hyderabad City Police found that the visa carried by Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) and the international Christian relief organization Samaritan's Purse, had an Mtype (M for missionary) stamp, which is valid for his activity. ''We obtained details about passports and visas of Graham and his team from Foreigner Regional Registration Office (FRRO). It was confirmed that Graham was travelling on a valid visa but Forbes was on tourist visa,'' sources said.