PM’s assurances should come into action — Archdiocese

KANNUR (KERALA), JUNE 27: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s assurances to Pope John Paul II at the Vatican on Monday that his government would firmly deal with perpetrators of violence against Christians and their institutions in India, should be brought into action immediately if the ongoing attacks against the community were to be checked effectively, the Thalassery archdiocese has said.

“Assurances in the past have not helped in creating an atmosphere of peace and communal harmony and therefore, the fresh assurances should promptly come into action to prevent such incidents and punish the perpetrators of violence,” the Archbishop of the diocese, George Valliamattam, told newsmen here on Tuesday.

Urging the Centre to evolve necessary measures to protect minority communities, he said though the attacks were largely confined to certain states, it was the Centre’s responsibility to safeguard the interests of minorities, in keeping with the constitution.

“The nature of the incidents have proved that they were pre-planned attacks,” the bishop said, adding that it was unfortunate that the culprits continued to remain at large and were even feeling quite safe in this situation.