The newly elected president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), Cardinal Oswald Gracias, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at the PM’s Office in Parliament on Tuesday morning and discussed the possibility of a visit by Pope Francis to India.
The CBCI said the PM reacted positively to this desire of the Catholic community. Cardinal Oswald Gracias also drew the attention of Modi to sporadic attacks on minority institutions and personnel in different parts of the country.
If the message goes out that these acts of violence are against the law, harm the country and will not be tolerated, it will go a long way in allaying the fears of the community, the Cardinal said.
The PM assured the CBCI president that his first priority is the welfare of the people and eradication of poverty. He reiterated that he is the Prime Minister of all Indians, irrespective of caste and creed.