EC notice to Gandhinagar Archbishop over letter

Gandhinagar, Nov 27 (IANS) The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued notice to the Gandhinagar Archbishop Thomas Macwan and asked him to explain the reasons for writing a letter to the Bishops of the country to pray that only such people are elected in Gujarat who would remain faithful to the Indian Constitution and respect every human being without any discrimination.

The ECI has through the District Collector issued notice to the Archbishop, asking him to explain the intention and aim in writing the letter in which he had asked Bishops to organise prayer services in the country for the Gujarat elections.

In his letter to the Bishops, Macwan had written, "The results of the Gujarat elections are significant and will influence the future course of our country. The secular and democratic fabric of our country is at stake. Human rights are violated and the constitutional rights are trampled. There is a growing sense of insecurity among the minorities, Other Backward Caste (OBC), Scheduled Caste (SC), poor et al. And nationalist forces are on the verge of taking over the country."

"In his letter he had written that nationalist parties are damaging the country. So we want to ask him how they are damaging the country. We have just called him up to give us an explanation for the writing of such a letter to the community," Collector, Gandhinagar, Satish Patel, told IANS.

Thomas Macwan had earlier told IANS: "By so-called nationalist forces, I just referred to all those people who are narrow minded in their thinking of nationalism. They are narrow minded in terms of language, caste, creed, religion, financial status. And that's why I have written that letter. There is no controversy, whatever I have asked for the bishops is to pray for the betterment of the country that's all."