AFP Wednesday, April 06, 2005 LONDON (AFP) - The Sikh Federation of Britain paid tribute yesterday to Pope John Paul II, signalling its gratitude for his support of Sikhs during the past 20 years. The pope's expression of "great sadness" at the Indian army assault on the Golden Temple in the northern Indian city of Amritsar in 1984, was an example of the late pope's support, the federation said in a statement. The pontiff also voiced his "universal horror and dismay" at the massacres of up to 20,000 Sikhs in November 1984 after the assassination of Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by two of her Sikh bodyguards More recently the pope had intervened in the French debate about the wearing of religious symbols in schools saying it was an "inalienable right" of Sikhs in France to practise and propagate their faith and said "no government should interfere with the inner core of any religion". Several Sikh organisations sent a letter to the Vatican last week saying that its faithful were praying for the pope and the Catholics of the world, the statement said. British Sikhs pay homage to Pope John Paul II Agence France-Presse London, April 6, 2005 | 03:49 IST The Sikh Federation of Britain paid tribute on Tuesday to Pope John Paul II, signalling its gratitude for his support of Sikhs during the past 20 years. The pope's expression of "great sadness" at the Indian army assault on the Golden Temple in Amritsar in 1984, was an example of the late pope's support, the federation said in a statement. The pontiff also voiced his "universal horror and dismay" at the massacres of up to 20,000 Sikhs in November 1984 after the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by two of her Sikh bodyguards. The group said contrast that bloodbath with his own reaction and that of one billion Roman Catholics after he was shot and seriously wounded in 1981 by Mehmet Ali Agca, a Turkish fanatic whom the pontiff later publicly forgave. More recently the pope had intervened in the French debate about the wearing of religious symbols in schools saying it was an "inalienable right" of Sikhs in France to practice and propagate their faith and said "no government should interfere with the inner core of any religion." Several Sikh organisations sent a letter to the Vatican last week saying that its faithful were praying for the pope and the Catholics of the world, the statement said. http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1308584,00050003.htm

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