Pope arrives on 3-day visit

NEW DELHI, Nov 5 (UNI) — The head of the Catholic Church, Pope John Paul II, arrived here this evening by a special Alitalia flight for a three-day state visit.

At a brief ceremony at the VIP terminal at the Palam Air Force station, he was received by Minister of State for External Affairs Ajit Kumar Panja, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), Archbishop Alan de Lastic, Apostolic Nuncio to India (Vatican’s Ambassador) Archbishop Lorenzo Baldisseri, India’s Ambassador to Switzerland and the Vatican K.P Balakrishnan, a few cardinals and senior church officials.

The Pope’s entourage of about 70 persons includes three cardinals, his personal Swiss bodyguards, his personal physician, 52 journalists, three media assistants and the papal spokesperson. The Pope drove straight to the Vatican Embassy where he would be staying during his visit. The entire papal route from the airport to the Vatican Embassy in Chanakyapuri was completely sanitised with a large number of security personnel on guard.

A policeman patrols in front of New Delhi's Sacred Heart Cathedral where Pope John Paul II will meet bishops on Saturday and Sunday. — AFP photo

Tight security was also put in place in and around the Palam technical area.

The Pope’s second visit to India in 13 years has sparked off protests by Sangh Parivar outfits which have been demanding a papal apology for the inquisition of Goa and a halt to "conversion by Christian missionaries".

The protests has prompted the government to make tight security arrangements at the venues and routes to be visited by the Pope.

Tomorrow, the Pope will address a private holy mass in the Vatican Embassy Chapel in the capital before being accorded a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan. A ceremonial guard of honour and gun salute will be given to the visiting dignitary.

The Pope John Paul II will call on the President, Mr K.R. Narayanan, at 9.30 in the morning. The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee will call on the Pope at the Deccan Suite in Hyderabad House at 10.15 hours. The Vice-President, Mr Krishan Kant, will call on the pointiff at 10.40 hours. It is understood that the Leader of the Opposition, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, may call on the Pope.

From Hyderabad House, the Pope will proceed to Rajghat and lay a wreath at the Samadhi of the Father of the Nation.

In the evening, the Pope will meet bishops of the Asian Synod where the Synod document "Ecclesia in Asia" will be promulgated in the presence of the Synod Fathers and other bishops from Asia in the Sacred Heart Cathedral. The Pope will deliver a speech here.

The next day (on Sunday), the Pope will celebrate a holy mass at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium with Asian Synod bishops to conclude the special assembly of the Asian Synod.

There will be recitation of "The Angelus" a special prayer that can be recited in the morning, at noon and in the evening. During the Holy Communion, non-Catholics would be offered "prasad" while Catholics will receive the "param prasad".

On Sunday evening, the Pope will hold an inter-faith meeting with representative of various religions in the main hall of Vigyan Bhavan.

The Pope leaves India on Monday morning. He will be accorded a ceremonial send-off. Before departing, he will address a private Holy Mass in the chapel of the Vatican Embassy.

Asked if incidents of atrocities on the Christian community in the country would figure during the official- level talks with the Pope, a spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs said while any issue could figure in the talks, the Vatican had been "very appreciative" of the religious freedom enjoyed by Indian citizens.

The spokesman said the Pope, during the presentation of credentials by the Indian Ambassador, Mr K.P. Balakrishnan, in November 1994, had said: "I note with satisfaction that the Indian Constitution in its recognition of religious freedom enshrines respect for the dignity of the human personality with most sacred dimensions. Conscience and religious belief touch upon innermost recesses of personality and, thus, respect for religious freedom and freedom of conscience constitute the cornerstone of all freedom. India has been renowned for respect for different traditions followed by its principles."

Earlier, the VHP General Secretary, Acharya Giriraj Kishore, alleged that foreign missionaries were backing terrorist activities in the North-East and indulging in conversions through inducements.

"The Pope should withdraw all foreign missionaries from our soil. Indian Christian missionaries are competent to do their job", the VHP leader said.

VATICAN CITY (AFP): The Vatican today expressed concern at Hindu "fundamentalism" even as Pope John Paul II left for his visit to India on Friday.

In a commentary published by the Vatican newspaper, Osservatore Romano, and Vatican news agency Fides, Cardinal Jozef Tomko, head of the Congregation for Evangelisation, spoke of "obstacles that hinder the Catholic Church’s evangelisation mission in India".

"Religious fundamentalism, which spreads and mingles with nationalism in identifying Indian nationality with the Hindu religion is a phenomenon which is increasingly aggressive and disturbing, a serious threat to the Church and to Catholics, who are called at times to undergo martyrdom," he said.

The "aggressiveness of Hindu fundamentalism" led to economic and social discrimination, he alleged, with aid for "untouchables", provided for by law, being withheld from those who converted to Christianity.

VHP: no place for foreign missionaries

NEW DELHI, Nov 5 (PTI, UNI) — The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) today put a new demand before Pope John Paul II asking him to withdraw all foreign missionaries from India besides tendering an apology for the alleged atrocities by the Church during Portuguese rule in Goa and other parts of the country.

Alleging that foreign missionaries funded by international church groups were backing terrorist activities in the North-East and indulging in conversions through inducements, VHP General Secretary Acharya Giriraj Kishore said: "The Pope should withdraw all foreign missionaries from our soil. Indian Christian missionaries are competent to do their job."

Addressing reporters on the day of the Pontiff’s arrival here, the VHP leader alleged, "Extremist groups in the North-East are being financially supported and encouraged by the Church."

The Acharya quoted a statement by the then Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Mohd Maqbool Dar in the Lok Sabha in December, 1996, to substantiate his charge.

The VHP leader accused the Church of "racial discrimination" for stating that the inquisitions in Europe were different from those in India and reiterated the demand for a Papal apology on the issue.

He, however, welcomed a reported statement by the Church that it was willing to discuss the issue of conversion with the VHP. "We are ready for a dialogue wherever they want it."

He also reiterated that the VHP has no plan to stage any protests or demonstrations during the Pope’s visit.

Asked about his reaction to Indian missionaries abroad "converting people to Hinduism" he said if they were found converting people by force in any country, they should be banished from that country.

In a terse comment on the Church "rejecting" his demand for an apology from the Pope, the VHP leader said: "We object to the word reject. Who is the Church to reject our demand. This shows that they have a weakness for fair skin.

GUWAHATI: The VHP Vice-President Dr Sujit Dhar, today demanded strong action against "vilification of Hindu gods and goddesses and insult to the Hindu scriptures".

The VHP, Uttar Purva Prant, also submitted a memorandum to Governor Lt-Gen S.K. Sinha (retd) demanding the setting up of a inquiry commission to look into the matter.