ASIA/INDIA - Christians in march ask Hindu radicals to owe Mother Teresa an apology

Tuesday, 10 March 2015

Hyderabad (Agenzia Fides) - Radical Hindu leaders owe Mother Teresa of Calcutta an apology, whose work is a valuable asset for the entire Indian people: this is what Christians of Andhra Pradesh state, who recently took to the streets in the city of Vijayawada, are asking for. The faithful marched in defense of the nun, after Mohan Bhagwat, Hindu extremist leader at the head of the "Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh" (RSS) movement despised the work of Mother Teresa, accusing her of "proselytizing through the service to the poor". The peaceful march was organized by the "Andhra Pradesh Federation of Churches" and thousands of faithful Christians of all denominations, priests, nuns and activists groups and Christian organizations participated. They all wore a white sari and carried placards which reaffirmed the freedom of religion and the "right to believe".
Fr. M. Chinappa, Catholic priest, remarked that "the accusations towards Mother Teresa are false: the nun served the poor for the love she had towards the marginalized and the sick, in whom she recognized the face of the suffering Christ".
Another demonstration was held in the territory of Goa: local Christians held a prayer vigil in the town of Panaji with thousands of lighted candles to condemn the utterances of the leader Mohan Bhagwat, urging people to maintain religious harmony, and condemning those who incite religious hatred. Some movements – said those present – intend to "erase Christianity from India, but also many non-Christians, who were present at the vigil, oppose this project". (PA) (Agenzia Fides 10/03/2015)


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