By Matters India Reporter

Nagpur: A newspaper in Nagpur has criticized the Maharashtra government for not sending any condolence message on the death of Archbishop Abraham Viruthakulangara.

It was “astonishing that there was no condolence message, no visit to pay last respects” from the Chief Minister, who is a Nagpurian, or anyone from his government, the Nagpur Today wrote on April 24, a day after the funeral of the Nagpur archbishop in the central Indian city.

Nagpur is the winter capital of Maharashtra which is currently ruled by the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (Indian people’s party) led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The 47-year-politician represents the Nagpur South West constituency in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.

Archbishop Viruthakulangara was the Nagpur archbishop for the past 20 years.

The late archbishop’s “popularity among the Christian communities of the area – both Catholic and Protestant – was apparent from the thousands who attended the funeral. There was not an empty chair among the 5,000 that were laid on the sides of the SFS Church in Mohan Nagar, right up to the house where Reverend Abraham had lived, the newspaper noted.

Archbishop Viruthukulangara, 74, died in his sleep on April 19 in Delhi where he was attending a meeting.

“Two cardinals, 60 bishops, and a host of clergy men attended the funeral from all over the world. That was the eminence in which this Archbishop was held – even by the Vatican,” the Nagpur Today noted with slight exaggeration.

It reported that the local parliamentarian Nitin Gadkari, a federal minister, paid last respects to the archbishop on April 22. It also noted that the condolence messages read out at the funeral included one from Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit, who was close friend of the archbishop.

The newspaper also wondered how the chief minister, who takes note of the death of academicians and former army, could be unaware of the demise of the archbishop of his own place.

“All mainstream Indian media had reported on the sad demise and written eulogies to the departed soul. It is only our Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis who didn’t take notice and issue a single word of condolence or sympathy,” it added.

The report recalled that Archbishop Viruthakulangara had believed attending funeral was the only way to express love and respect for the departed soul. The prelate would get very upset when people failed to show up for someone’s funeral.

“Isn’t India a secular nation where all religions are equal and important? Isn’t it shocking that an archbishop, who is equivalent to the ‘Shankaracharya’ of a ‘Peeth’ should not merit such a courtesy from our state government?” the newspaper asked.

The absence of the chief minister or his ministers at the funeral had made no difference to the grieving congregation, but the charisma of their political leaders “is somewhat diminished,” the Nagpur Today concluded.

(Source: Nagpur Today)