wfn.org | Christian Forum Congratulates New Indian Government

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NATIONAL UNITED CHRISTIAN FORUM
1, Ashok Place, New Delhi - 110 001. Tel. 2334 3457; 23362058

P R E S S      R E L E A S E

Christian Forum Congratulates the New Government

New Delhi 14/05/04
The National Untied Christian Forum today congratulated the secular
democratic forces led by the Congress for securing sufficient seats in the
14th Lok Sabha general elections and being in a position to form the next
government. The National United Christian Forum is a body comprising
Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI); the National Council of
Churches in India (NCCI); and the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI).

While the United Christian Forum thanks the outgoing NDA government for its
achievement in many areas of its governance and notes with a little regret
its deafening silence towards those fundamentalists who were spreading
hatred against the minorities, it expresses its pleasure that a non-communal
government will be in place at the Centre soon.

We congratulate the Congress leader Mrs. Sonia Gandhi for working so hard
to bring the party back to the centre of political activities in the country
after its rather poor earlier performance. We note that this mandate by the
people of India is to strengthen the secular traditions for which India is
known the world over, said Delhi Archbishop Vincent M. Concessao, the
President of the Forum.

The Forum in its recent meeting also congratulated the Election Commission
for its commendable job in holding these elections successfully. The Forum,
however, reminds the new government that it can forget its promises made to
the poor and to the minorities only at its own peril as the recent results
to the Lok Sabha amply demonstrate. Archbishop Concessao has also reiterated
the Churches commitment to the poor and the down trodden for whom it has
always stood.

The Forum also asks all the political parties and the people of the nation
to cooperate with the new government in a responsible manner and to ensure
that they do not betray the trust the electorate has put in them and uphold
the secular democratic values enshrined in the Constitutions.

Archbishop Vincent M. Concessao, President

Rev. Dr. Ipe Joseph, General Secretary - NCCI

Rev. Richard Howell, Secretary - EFI

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Issued by
Rev. Dr. Dominic Emmanuel svd, Spokesperson

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News letter : N C C India