Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh today slammed social and religious organisations for taking public positions on developmental issues saying it was against national interest.

Citing the example of Church's role in mobilising people against Koodankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu and uranium mining in Meghalaya, Ramesh said Hindu, Christian or Muslim-faith based organisations "must not be seen as anti-progress, anti-development."

"...Pardon my saying so, there is a feeling that sometimes organisations, social organisations end up taking positions on issues that go against developmental imperatives," he said during his inaugural address at the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Caritas India, a Catholic organisation.

"Archbishop, even in your state of Kerala, faith-based organisations sometimes end up taking positions on public issues which are seen to be anti-growth and anti-development," he told Archbishop Catholicos Baselios Cleemis, who hails from Kerala.

Ramesh said it was not possible to meet the energy demand of the country by rejecting everything in the name of ecology.

"...rejecting everything in the name of ecology. How it is possible for India to grow? If dams are already ruled out, if coal mining is going to be ruled out and if nuclear energy is also going to be ruled out, how are we going to grow", he asked.

"1.3 billion people... population increasing by 12 million a year. We are going to add 500 million people in the next 30 years. A growing country requires energy. How are we going to fulfil these things," he said.

He added, "I seek your forgiveness, if I have crossed the 'Lakshman Rekha'. Please take what I have said in the right spirit. I speak to you as a friend, a colleague, an advocate somebody who believes that you have the power to do good...But in the process of doing good, one should not create ripples, which create doubts about people's motives."