State wants to be heard before decision on Mother’s remains

Sister Christie,spokesperson for the Missionaries of Charity,refused to comment saying no one had got in touch with the organisation regarding the matter.

Though the state government maintained that the final decision in this regard will be taken by the Centre,Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen said: “It is highly unlikely and extraordinary that the Centre will ask the state government to send the remains to that country.”

When asked to comment,Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said: “The issue comes under the Ministry of External Affairs. You better check with them.”

Intellectuals,on the other hand,fumed over such a request from the Albanian government.

“For as long as they were Communists,they did not accept Mother Teresa. Now they come with this request. It should be thrown into the waste paper basket,” said Sunil Gangopadhyay,literatteur and president of Sahitya Academy.

Filmmaker Gautam Ghosh also voiced similar sentiment.

“It is sheer meanness. Mother Teresa worked all her life in Kolkata and was an Indian citizen. How can they now claim her? It is strange that it is an official request,” he said.

The Saint of Kolkata

1929 Mother Teresa comes to Kolkata to serve the poor and infirm.

1950 Founds Missionaries of Charity

1979 Awarded the Nobel Prize for her work

1997 Dies in Kolkata after a long illness

2003 Beatified by the Vatican,first step towards canonisation