Teresa canonisation sparks Mother of all junkets for VIPs

NEW DELHI: Mother Teresa will be anointed a saint on Sunday and India’s politicians are in a mad dash to travel to the Vatican to witness the historic event, most of them possibly at public expense.

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At least a central minister, two chief ministers, a number of politicians and civil servants will travel to the Holy See to witness the canonisation of Mother Teresa.

The list of visitors include leaders from West Bengal, Delhi, invitees from Mother Teresa’s organisation, Missionaries of Charity, as well as leaders from states with big Christian populations such as Kerala or Goa.

Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj will lead the official Indian delegation, whose full composition is unknown. But the decision has already angered Sangh Parivar, which views the Albania-born Mother Teresa as a missionary who came to India to convert Hindus.

But the biggest share of invites appears to have gone to Mother Teresa’s adopted home state, West Bengal, as well as Kerala.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, her party leaders Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Derek O’Brien, state chief secretary Basudeb Bandyopadhyay are among those going. Sister Mary Prema, superior general of the Missionaries of Charity will accompany Banerjee. Five top nuns are also going to the Vatican. Senior Roman Catholic Diocese of Kolkata sources told HT that the Bengal politicians are going as guests of the Missionaries of Charity, which refused comment.