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Only lunatics can indulge in such activities, PM tells protesting Christians

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today said he shared the agony and anguish of the Christian community at incidents of violence against them and assured that protection will be provided to them.

The prime minister said he would ensure justice to the harassed. He said he understood the issues in this matter. ''Only lunatics can indulge in such activities.''

The assurance came when a 12-member delegation, including three members of Parliament, called on him this afternoon seeking his personal intervention to stop atrocities and violence perpetrated against Christians.

The delegation also called on Lok Sabha Speaker G C M Balayogi and submitted a memorandum to him on the issue. These details were given to the protesters at the Parliament House police station after the delegation had meetings with the two dignitaries.

Archbishop Alan de Lastic, leader of the delegation, told journalists that the Lok Sabha speaker had stated that a discussion on the issue was slated for Monday.

The delegation, which included members of Parliament -- P C Thomas and Prof P J Kurien -- said they impressed upon both the prime minister and the Lok Sabha speaker that the culprits must be brought to book and that atrocities should come to an end and without further delay.

They said Vajpayee and Balayogi were told that the government had so far failed to make public a detailed list of incidents of violence against the minorities, particularly against the Christian community, and the action taken by the police district, state and central authorities on such occasions.

Some members said they had confidence in both the prime minister and the Lok Sabha speaker and today's ''mission had been accomplished''. Others, however, did not see much hope as the authorities were not serious.

The organisers said they were happy that the issue had been brought to the notice of the nation and the central government, besides being raised in Parliament.

The speakers, including former Rajya Sabha member Mohammad Afzal Khan and former Union minister Arif Mohammad Khan stressed that the Christian community did not want charity but a dignified existence as it had played a pivotal role in the nation's development, besides undertaking missionary and charitable work.

In the Rajya Sabha, Opposition members today expressed great concern over the spurt in atrocities on Christian minorities in different parts of the country after the BJP-led government came to power.

Raising the issue through a special mention C O Poulose (CPI-M) said though such incidents had been taking place off and on earlier but of late there was an increase in the intensity of attacks on Christians. He drew the government's attention towards the protest day being observed by the Christians all over the country today.

Poulose cited specific incidents. He said that even if law and order was a state subject, it was the duty of the Centre to ensure communal harmony in the country.

Nilotpal Basu (CPI-M) said there was all pervasive atmosphere of intolerance with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal unleashing a campaign against all the minority communities. He said those who raised these question were dubbed "un-Indians".

Prafulla Garodia (BJP) said there was a need to make a distinction between Christians and missionaries. He charged the missionaries with making an attempt at large-scale conversions.

At this stage leader of the Opposition Dr Manmohan Singh intervened to say that it was highly regrettable that the member had tried to justify the increasing number of atrocities on minorities especially Christians. "Our party associates itself with the hurt sentiments of the Christians," he added.

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