National

Catholic union condemns train-burning

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD Feb. 28. The All-India Catholic Union has condemned the train-burning incident at Godhra in Gujarat yesterday, describing it as "`inhuman and ghastly.''

The union president and the vice-president — M. E. Menezes and John Dayal, state president and secretary — S. Anthony and James Sylvester, along with others told presspersons that the incident might aggravate the communal tension in the country and called for greater vigilance so that no group, no matter what its political and religious affiliations were, could carry out violence in defiance of the law.

The leaders appreciated the "correct and timely steps'' taken by the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, and the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, to deal with the situation.

The resolutions adopted by the meeting stated that the National Commission on Review of the Constitution, headed by the former Chief Justice, M. Venkatachaliah, had been silent on minority rights in all the 22 papers released by it so far, and demanded that the report of the commission, being submitted to the Government around March 12, be made public. They wanted an assurance from the Central and State Governments that the Constitutional provisions, especially those relating to educational institutions, not be diluted.

The meeting sought the removal of N. S. Rajaram, author of "Christianity's Scramble for India,'' from the Indian Council of Historical Research through which certain textbooks were being rewritten alleging that he was a known "baiter'' of Christianity and poured his bile on the beliefs of the faith, Mother Mary, Jesus Christ and Mother Teresa. His appointment, they said, would put a seal of approval on his "blasphemous hate-mongering''.

The meeting also demanded SC status to SC Christian converts because an unequal Dalit should not be discriminated against solely on the basis of religion.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Muslim leaders condemn violence
• Bardhan criticises Gujarat for inaction
• VHP accuses Vajpayee of 'criminal negligence'
• Deploy Army in Gujarat: Cong.
• Will Gujarat conflagration be contained?
• Deepening structural reforms, regenerating industrial growth
• Proposals to widen tax base, encourage compliance
• No poetry, banter, only reams of paper
• Special incentives for textile, steel industries
• Ministers' tour allocation increased
• Biggest allocation for DST
• `Budget fails to provide impetus to economy'
• Full convertibility for NRI deposit schemes
• Sops for tourism, aviation sectors
• Rs. 100 crores for Voluntary Retirement Scheme
• New rates of interest for small savings schemes
• Customs duty raised on tea, coffee
• Ban orders in M.P.
• `Many could have been saved'
• Paramilitary forces for Gujarat
• BJP president leaves for Gujarat
• Gowda, Scindia take oath
• TANSI case: Jayalalithaa withdraws SLP in SC
• Catholic union condemns train-burning
• Swamy demands Vajpayee's resignation
• VHP warns Govt. of serious consequences
• We will sit in Opposition, Rajnath tells Governor
• Airports panel for more passenger facilities
• It's a crime against humanity: Jayalalithaa
• I have tried to take reforms forward: Sinha
• CBSE postpones examinations in Gujarat
• Uttaranchal Govt. swearing-in likely on Saturday
• Left to observe March 6 as 'National Unity Day'
• Maharashtra tense as VHP calls for bandh
• Sinha promises more funds for modernising Army, Air Force
• Penalty for giving false PAN
• `India should bring LTTE to negotiating table'
• More for literacy schemes

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu