Ranchi, Dec. 22: The highest decision-making body of the Roman Catholic Church in India has finally condemned Cardinal Telesphore Toppo?s effigy burning incident by the various radical groups in and around Ranchi.

Secretary general Percival Fernandez of the Catholic Bishops? Conference of India (CBCI), said: ?It is extremely distressing to note that the effigy of cardinal Toppo, the archbishop of Ranchi and president of CBCI, is being burnt by the activists of a rabid organisation since the 13th of this month.?

The burning, according to him, was their way of expressing displeasure at Toppo?s comment on the proposed anti-conversion bill in Jharkhand.

Trouble had broken out after chief minister Arjun Munda, while addressing a rally at Ranchi earlier this month, vowed to introduce legislation banning conversions in Jharkhand.

Though the cardinal stressed that the Roman Catholic Church was opposed to conversions by fraud and allurement, he pointed out that such a legislation was not deemed necessary for Jharkhand as there has never been a single case of forced conversion anywhere in the state.

Toppo, however, pointed out that the choice of religion should be left to the people, as enshrined in the constitution.

Apparently unsatisfied over the cardinal?s reaction, the Central Sarna Samity and the Hindu Jagaran Manch burned effigies of cardinal Toppo at various places in the state capital. However, no police action was initiated against these groups.

Church officials pointed out that this was the first time when an effigy of a cardinal has been burned anywhere in the world.

The CBCI secretary general further said: ?The effigy of Cardinal Toppo is being burnt under the pretext of protesting against the alleged forced conversion of tribals to Christianity. However, this allegation has been time and again proved totally false and baseless, and yet vested interests have been intensifying their efforts to mislead the public. The campaign by these vested interests has vitiated the communal harmony and social amity among all the tribals who have lived in peace and fellowship for ages.?

He pleaded that the state government take immediate measures to protect the reputation of every citizen, particularly a religious leader of a community that has been on the threshold of service to the neglected.

Cardinal Toppo, when contacted, said he would continue to pray for all those who have burned his effigies in and around Ranchi.