Indian Christians protest against newspaper cartoon on Madonna and Baby Jesus

New Delhi – India’s Catholic community has strongly condemned a computer–generated cartoon in a newspaper depicting Sonia Gandhi as the Virgin Mary with the newly elected prime minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, as Baby Jesus in her arms.

The cartoon, in the mass–circulated Hindi newspaper Hindustan from the stable of industrialist KK Birla, plays on the right wing political propaganda of Congress president Sonia Gandhi as an Italian Catholic who will be controlling the Congress–led coalition government.

Mrs. Gandhi, leader of the now ruling Progressive coalition, had led her party to a historic victory in the recent general elections, and after her election as head of the coalition parliamentary group, renounced her claim to the prime ministership saying she was “responding to her inner voice.”

Hailed nationwide for her prudent and ‘Christian–like’ decision, Sonia continues to be the main target of attack from the defeated BJP–led pro–Hindu NDA coalition party, not to mention the fundamentalist RSS and VHP parties who launched shrill attacks on the Congress president for her foreign origins.

BJP ally and Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalitha, also routed in the recent elections, had some years ago put up posters in the state capital of Chennai depicting herself as the Virgin Mary. That had provoked statewide protests, forcing her to withdraw the poster. She did not, however, apologize.

In a letter to Hindustan Editor–in–chief and famed woman novelist, Mrs. Mrinal Pandey, All India Catholic Union national vice president John Dayal expressed the community’s anguish over the newspaper cartoon.

In his letter, Dr. John Dayal said, “We are stunned, shocked and surprised to see the First page of today’s Hindustan (23rd May 04) showing a computer graphic composite of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Mrs. Sonia Gandhi in the guise of the Madonna with the Child Jesus.”

“The Blessed Mother has a special place in the hearts of every Catholic in the world. Together with the Child Jesus, the Icon of the Virgin Mary is revered and venerated across the globe, and especially by those seeking peace and healing.”

“The Catholic Community in India registers its strong protest with you and hopes you will take urgent and immediate corrective steps. The graphic artist may perhaps want to know that the juvenile political innuendos contained in the graphic – have not gone down well with the paper’s readership.”