Kolkata, Jan 14, 2014: A prayer for unity and communal harmony and a formal appeal to revoke the amended citizenship act will be communicated to the Prime Minister through the West Bengal governor.

This was decided on January 13 at a meeting of school principals of Christian educational institutions, priests and church workers in Kolkata, the state capital.

Two ecumenical bodies — Bangiya Christiya Pariseba and Bengal Christian Council – will organize the rally after contacting all Christian denominations in the city, said an organizer.

The walk had earlier been planned under the banner of the Calcutta diocese of the Church of North India. The Bangiya Christiya Pariseba is an organization of various Christian denominations, including Catholics, and the Bengal Christian Council is an association of other Churches.

“There was a need to have an ecumenical body that will include more people rather than having one particular denomination only,” a principal present at the meeting said.

Representatives of over 175 churches and institutions attended the meeting at St Paul’s Cathedral.

The heads of churches and schools and others will on January 20 walk from St Paul’s Cathedral to the Gandhi statue on Mayo Road, 3.5 km north. The walk will be open to people from all faiths, the organizers said.

“The walk will be a protest through prayers. It will be open to all faiths. After the walk, a memorandum will be handed over to the governor and through him to the President and the Prime Minister,” said Reverend Paritosh Canning of the Bengal Christian Council.

The main point of the memorandum will be the withdrawal of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC).

The objective of the prayer rally would be “to proclaim the message of unity, amity and communal harmony”, to express solidarity with the protesting multitude across the nation and demand withdrawal of CAA and NRC.

“The prayer rally concerns the anxiety and fears of the Christian people after seeing what is happening to people of other minorities,” said Terence Ireland, the principal of St James’ School.

Letters will be sent to Christian schools, churches and various organizations that have launched a movement against the amended citizenship act and NRC. Letters will also be sent to people from other faiths, requesting them to join the walk.

“People are now showing solidarity for upholding rights of everyone,” said a principal who was at the meeting.

Source: telegraphindia.com