MOSCOW, Aug 7: Even as Russian president Boris Yeltsin struck a conciliatory note with the Russian Orthodox Church over the controversial Religion Bill, putting a public show of unity between the Kremlin and the Orthodox Church, dissident priests from the groups of Orthodox Christians, blasted Patriarch Alexy II for his attempt to subdue religious freedoms in the post-Communist Russia.

Father Gleb Yakunin of the Ukranian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, Father Alexander Sergeyev of the True Orthodox Church and Father Mikhail Ardov of the Orthodox Free Church said at a press conference on Wednesday that the Bill will not only jeopardize the religious freedom of the non-traditional religious groups in Russia, but will also hamper such Orthodox groups, whose members are not under the jurisdiction of Patriarch Alexy II.

The Bill -- On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Association -- passed by both houses of Russian Parliament last month, was later vetoed by Yeltsin, triggering a public quarrel with Alexy II, who supported the Bill. The President called for a compromise with the Orthodox Church and warned the Parliament not to try to override his veto.

The Bill ``in fact is directed against all religious organisations that are not subordinate to the religious leaders that were registered 50 and 15 years ago, the same ones that were controlled by the KGB and the Communist Party,'' said Yakunin.

Yakunin, formerly a priest under Alexy II, has been a vociferous critic of the Patriarch, whom he accuses of collaborating with the KGB during the Soviet regime.

The Bill gives only four traditional religions -- Orthodox Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Buddhism the right to exist in Russia. All other religious groups must prove that they have existed in Russia for at least 15 years in order to own property, worship in public or publish religious literature.

The priests expressed fear at the press conference that if Orthodox Christian groups, not recognized by Moscow Patriarchate, as well as non-traditional religious groups, are denied registration, they would not only cease to exist legally, but their property would be taken over by the Patriarch Alexy's Russian Orthodox Church. ``The Russian Orthodox Church isn't battling for people's souls as much as property,'' said Ardov.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.