Bishop leaves for Chennai

By Our Special Correspondent

GANDHINAGAR, DEC. 14. Bishop Ezra Sargunam, head of the Evangelical Church of India and chairman of the Tamil Nadu Minority commission, left here tonight for Mumbai on his way to Chennai.

In a brief statement just before leaving the Ahmedabad airport, the Bishop regretted the cancellation of his ``promised meeting'' with the Chief Minister, Mr. Keshubhai Patel, which was requested by him at the instance of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Mr. M. Karunanidhi. He said he was neither informed about it nor any reason assigned for the cancellation, about which he came to know through newspaper reports.

He also criticised some of the comments by the Minister of State for Home, Mr. Haren Pandya, which, he said were not only ``unwarranted'' but had also helped to ``emphasise the environment in Gujarat.'' He said he had come to the State to provide moral support to the Christian tribals in Chhindia village who were ``feeling very intimidated and terrorised.'' He prayed for justice but ``alas it was not to be.''

The Bishop said he had to leave Gujarat with his mission unfulfilled because of his other commitments in Chennai, but expressed confidence that the struggle for justice, peace and harmony, taken up by other Christian leaders and human rights activists in the State ``will not go in vain.''

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