Christians to send flowers on Orissa CM's birthday

Christians all over India have decided to present Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik with flowers on his 62nd birthday on October 16.

Christian leaders and laymen have both joined email campaigns urging Christian believers to wish the CM on his birthday, to express 'love' even after the pain and suffering the Christian community have been undergoing following violence on churches and clergies in Orissa.

'Since we love those who hate us, please do not fail to send him special birthday greetings from the Christian community, especially from those who are impressed by his efforts to uphold the honour of women and enforce the rule of law in this state,' exhorts the email being circulated among the Christians.

The email gives the address of the chief minister's official residence and his email id, so that the flowers and greetings can be sent both online and offline. The Orissa chief minister's phone number too has been added as a helpful gesture for those wishing to call the chief minister on his birthday.

Meanwhile, a joint declaration was signed in the capital on Wednesday calling for an end to violence and the promotion of interfaith dialogue between Hindus and Christians.

The announcement came after a meeting between the Archbishops of New Delhi and Orissa and L K Advani, leader of the country’s parliamentary opposition.

Advani spoke on the need for restoring peace and sense of security in the state through cooperation between communities. He emphasised on "sustained and sincere" dialogue between Hindu and Christian community leaders on religious conversion.

"Religious conversions or re–conversions, using coercive, fraudulent and allurement–based means, or through denigration of others' faiths, are condemnable and must be stopped," read a joint statement released after the meeting.

The significant call came after a meeting between senior BJP leaders and Christian representatives, amid the escalating violence in Orissa, Karnataka and other parts of the country.

The Christian leaders also condemned the killing of Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati and his four aides in Kandhamal district in Orissa.

The region has been witnessing communal violence since Aug 23, when the VHP leader and four of his aides were shot dead by unidentified gunmen at his Jalespata Ashram.

The VHP accused Christians of the murders, a charge strongly denied by Christian organisations.

Since then, thousands of people have been rendered homeless, many churches attacked, a nun brutally gang–raped, and at least 60 people, mostly Christians, killed in the state.

Prohibitory orders are still in force in the district and night curfew is imposed in most towns.