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Christian leader threatens to respond violently

Roman Catholic Mission chairman Reverend Marampudi Joji has hinted that the Christian community may rise in arms against its persecutors.

Fundamentalist forces should not take the Christian community for granted as "peace loving and tolerant people", the reverend, who is also the Andhra Pradesh Bishops Conference secretary, said in Vijayawada.

The Canon Law says that when anyone attacks Christianity, the faithful should protect themselves and the Church, he added.

He also said that Pope John Paul II was keeping a close watch on the attacks on Christians - a fact which he had come to know from his talks with the Catholic Bishops Conference of India president at Delhi, and with the Vatican.

Without naming any political party, he said the groups responsible were using religion for political gains.

India was democratic and secular. Yet, following the attacks, people abroad were looking down upon her. The Christians would jointly fight the forces that were destroying the very secular foundation of the country, the reverend said.

Though the church would not like to internationalise the issue, it wanted the Union government to protect the interest of the community and allow the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of religion to prevail, he added.

UNI

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