Bishops, PM talks 'successful'

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JUNE 16. Several Christian leaders today asserted that they were not in any kind of confrontation with the Government for its `failure' to provide protection to Christians, who had become targets of violent attacks in the recent past.

Taking off from where the discussions between the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, and the only Christian member of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM), Mr John Joseph, ended yesterday, a delegation of Bishops had a second round of ``successful talks'' with the PM here this evening.

Coming out of today's meeting, the delegates said : ``Our intention is not to fight the Government or blame it solely. We want to resolve the issue by working in cooperation with the Government and the Prime Minister's Office. Our interest is to remove the element of fear that has crept into the minds of the minorities and also prevent recurrence of such ghastly incidents of attacks even if they are a part of law and order problem in some States.''

Speaking to The Hindu, Mr Joseph - who led the six-member delegation - reiterated that Mr Vajpayee was ``very sympathetic to all the problems highlighted by the topmost heads of churches and shared their concern''.

``The Prime Minister promised to implement the suggestions made by me in yesterday's meeting and I am optimistic that he will assertively work on this matter now,'' he added.

Of the various suggestions made, it appears in all probability, an all-India Bishop's Conference would be convened at the earliest. ``Maybe in three weeks time. The Prime Minister has agreed to host and chair the meeting and the NCM will only coordinate,'' Mr. Joseph said, also indicating that Mr Vajpayee was ``working on the proposed address to the nation on issues related to Christians''.

While unanimously endorsing Mr Joseph's 23-point charter of suggestions, the delegation, however, added that it did not have any timeframe either for implementation of the suggestions or for wiping out the corruption, fear and violence that had set in.

The delegation consisted of the moderator of the Church of South India; Chief Bishop K.J. Samuel and chairman of Bishop's Conference, Chief Bishop B. Joseph, both from Kerala; general secretary of National Christian Council of India, Re. Ipe Joseph from Nagpur; national secretary of Pentecostal Fellowship of India, Re. R.Abraham, and the secretary of Delhi churches, Re.F. Zachariah Alexander.

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