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Church leaders disown abusive statement

Right-wing Hindu groups have protested against the Pope's visit without understanding the man, his mission or message, Valson Thampu, member of the Delhi Minorities Commission, said today.

''At the present stage of our national evolution, it is positively suicidal to allow religiosity to degenerate into a theatre of conflict. This discredits religion in the minds of all well-meaning people,'' Reverend Thampu of the Protestant church said at a press conference, which was also addressed by Jain munis Sanjay Kumar and Pramod Kumar.

However, while Rev Thampu was quoting Swami Vivekananda on the need for spiritual vision in the age of globalisation, an abusive and harshly-worded anti-Hindu statement circulated along with press statements of church leaders raised eye brows.

Asked if the Catholic church subscribed to the contents of the statement issued by the Bahujan Swayamsewak Sangathan and signed by its ''commander in chief'' Tej Singh, Rev Thampu admitted that it was a mistake to have attached the statement with the church's releases.

''It was a mistake to have circulated this statement here. This does not reflect the views of the church. Please overlook it,'' he added.

Meanwhile, Dr Dominic Emmanuel, spokesman for the Catholic Bishops Conference of India today said that the Christian community was happy that the police had done its duty in arresting some Shiv Sena activists who allegedly burnt an effigy of the Pope. Stating that the Pope had gone and met the man who tried to assassinate him, Dr Emmanuel said if an attempt on the life of the Pope can be forgiven, certainly he would forgive those who tried to burn his effigy in front of the Red Fort last week.

Dr Emmanuel also announced that on the eve of the Pope's visit, a book on his impressions of India during his last visit in 1986 would be released tomorrow. Titled Pilgrimage to the Light - Encounters in a Shared Destiny, the book will be released by former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission M N Venkatachaliah.

UNI

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