May 25, 2006 / 22:00 pm
India's government has expressed displeasure over Pope Benedict XVI's remarks alluding to religious intolerance and laws restricting religious freedom in the country, the Apostolic Nunciature confirmed.
India's Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma told India’s upper house of parliament that his ministry communicated with the nunciature in New Delhi, saying that the Pope was "not properly briefed on the secularism and religious tolerance prevailing in India,” reported UCA News.
Msgr. Carlo Cabella, a secretary at the Vatican Embassy, confirmed that the nunciature received the communication.
Pope Benedict made the comments May 18 while welcoming Ambassador Amitava Tripathi, India's new ambassador to the Holy See. In a written speech, the Pope called on the Indian government to "firmly reject … disturbing signs of religious intolerance which have troubled some regions of the nation, including the reprehensible attempt to legislate clearly discriminatory restrictions on the fundamental right of religious freedom."
Right-wing Hindu groups, particularly members of the religious army Dharma Sena, reacted to the Pope's speech by setting fire to the Pope's effigy May 20 in at least six district headquarters of the central state of Madhya Pradesh.
India’s two cardinals have publicly supported Pope Benedict.
Five states or provinces in India have laws against anyone attempting to convert another person through force, allurement or fraudulent means. Church leaders say any Church activity for people who are not Christian could be interpreted as an offense under such laws and punished.India's government has expressed displeasure over Pope Benedict XVI's remarks alluding to religious intolerance and laws restricting religious freedom in the country, the Apostolic Nunciature confirmed.
India's Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma told India’s upper house of parliament that his ministry communicated with the nunciature in New Delhi, saying that the Pope was "not properly briefed on the secularism and religious tolerance prevailing in India,” reported UCA News.
Msgr. Carlo Cabella, a secretary at the Vatican Embassy, confirmed that the nunciature received the communication.
Pope Benedict made the comments May 18 while welcoming Ambassador Amitava Tripathi, India's new ambassador to the Holy See. In a written speech, the Pope called on the Indian government to "firmly reject … disturbing signs of religious intolerance which have troubled some regions of the nation, including the reprehensible attempt to legislate clearly discriminatory restrictions on the fundamental right of religious freedom."
Right-wing Hindu groups, particularly members of the religious army Dharma Sena, reacted to the Pope's speech by setting fire to the Pope's effigy May 20 in at least six district headquarters of the central state of Madhya Pradesh.
India’s two cardinals have publicly supported Pope Benedict.
Five states or provinces in India have laws against anyone attempting to convert another person through force, allurement or fraudulent means. Church leaders say any Church activity for people who are not Christian could be interpreted as an offense under such laws and punished.
India's government has expressed displeasure over Pope Benedict XVI's remarks alluding to religious intolerance and laws restricting religious freedom in the country, the Apostolic Nunciature confirmed.
India's Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma told India’s upper house of parliament that his ministry communicated with the nunciature in New Delhi, saying that the Pope was "not properly briefed on the secularism and religious tolerance prevailing in India,” reported UCA News.
Msgr. Carlo Cabella, a secretary at the Vatican Embassy, confirmed that the nunciature received the communication.
Pope Benedict made the comments May 18 while welcoming Ambassador Amitava Tripathi, India's new ambassador to the Holy See. In a written speech, the Pope called on the Indian government to "firmly reject … disturbing signs of religious intolerance which have troubled some regions of the nation, including the reprehensible attempt to legislate clearly discriminatory restrictions on the fundamental right of religious freedom."
Right-wing Hindu groups, particularly members of the religious army Dharma Sena, reacted to the Pope's speech by setting fire to the Pope's effigy May 20 in at least six district headquarters of the central state of Madhya Pradesh.
India’s two cardinals have publicly supported Pope Benedict.
Five states or provinces in India have laws against anyone attempting to convert another person through force, allurement or fraudulent means. Church leaders say any Church activity for people who are not Christian could be interpreted as an offense under such laws and punished.
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