New Delhi, April 8: Christian organisations hurt by Jairam Ramesh’s comments on vicar-like convocation gowns have asked the government to decide whether graduates should wear the robes or formals.

The Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh had said during a convocation in Bhopal on April 2 that the gowns were “barbaric” and “a sign of colonial slavery”.

“Why do we have to come dressed up as medieval vicars and Popes?” he asked before taking off his robe at the convocation of the Indian Institute of Forest Management.

The All India Christian Association, a conglomeration of Christian groups with representation from all denominations, has demanded that the government take a call on the issue. “The minister’s words have hurt the sentiments of the entire Christian community all over the world. We are writing to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take a decision on the issue. Since he was an academician himself, he will be able to take the right decision. The government should take steps to amend the statutes, if need be, rather than insult the community for no fault of its own,’’ said Father Joseph Xavier of the association.

He also demanded that the minister apologise to the community.

Another Christian body, the Global Council of Indian Christians, said Ramesh’s remarks were “against the Pope and Christians around the world”.

“The minister spoke with utter irresponsibility and lack of respect for the Pope and with a display of incredible cynicism towards the Church and millions of people around the world,” said Sajan K. George of the council. The Catholic Secular Forum, another Christian collective, said: “The remark is unfortunate, particularly at a time when Christians are being stereotyped and targeted by communal forces.”

Joseph Dias, the general secretary of the forum, said it would have been more appropriate if the minister had removed his convocation robe before the event or represented to the Union HRD minister to do away with the tradition if he felt so strongly about it.

“It was in bad taste and smacks of a cheap publicity gimmick,” Dias said. Ramesh seemed to be echoing the sentiments of some BJP ministers in Madhya Pradesh, he added.

Dias said a photograph in a convocation gown is something many graduating students look forward to. “It may have been a vestige of the British, but so are many other examples — the railways and monuments for instance. At the very least, the minister’s choice of words drawing the Catholic clergy into a government decision was regrettable.” (CITHARA PAUL)