New Delhi, Nov. 9: The Centre has already rejected Albania’s demand for Mother Teresa’s remains but a consortium of Christian laymen’s groups has decided to take no chances.

It plans to write to Pope Benedict XVI to prevent any further Albanian attempts to get the remains.

“We have come to know that the Albanian government is planning to approach the Pope. So we have decided to write directly to the Pope,’’ said Benedict Solomon of the All India Christian Forum.

The forum will also write to all Christian countries, including Italy, seeking their support.

Solomon said Albania was determined to get Mother’s remains by her 100th anniversary next August.

“There is no basis to Albania’s claim. Although Mother Teresa was born to Albanian parents in the former Ottoman empire, Skopje (her birthplace) is now part of Macedonia and not Albania,’’ Solomon said.

He added that the forum had members from every state and every Christian denomination.

“Protestants and Catholics are equally worried over these developments,’’ said Gerald Ghidiyal, a Protestant priest.

“We fully support the resolution passed by the Bangiya Christiya Pariseba, which has categorically stated that Mother was a true-blue Indian.”

The Pariseba, an ecumenical forum that claims to have a million members from various Christian denominations, had met in Calcutta on October 23 and issued a statement saying the Albanian request had raised an “unnecessary controversy”.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) too has tacitly supported the laymen’s move. “We are aware of the developments. They have every right to convey their feelings to the Pope. But the CBCI does not want to be part of it,’’ Father Babu Joseph of the council said.

The council has, however, welcomed the foreign ministry’s response to its executive committee that Mother Teresa was fully an Indian citizen.

A council statement said: “Mother Teresa had all through her life and activities built up a strong bond with all sections of Indian society, and she is respected by all in the country. And this was the filial relationship between the Mother and Indians, which cannot be overlooked.”

The council had earlier said the Centre should consult it and the Missionaries of Charity before taking a decision on Albania’s request.