Contrary to the hype created by Sanskriti Jagran Manch and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad for the anti-Pope jagran yatra, the rally which reached here received a subdued response from the 300-odd residents of Devaliya and nearby villages.

There was no `Hindu wave' that the organisers had predicted, and even the passion of Sadhvi Rithumbhara's speeches played on the PA system failed to inspire the villagers. There didn't even appear to be any signs of recognition when the speakers - including Bajrang Dal president Surendra Jain - dwelt on the conversion issue.

Jain's warning that the Christian missionaries should leave the country or face another Dal-sponsored Bharat Chhodo Andolan was better received. But there was littleresponse to his plaint that "people like Mother Teresa who once said that anathashrams were means to propogate Christianity were being considered for Sainthood".

Jain didn't give up, though, coming down heavily on the Christian missionaries for "not donating blood to the Kargil jawans" and for criticising the Pokharan nuclear tests.

The Pope issue inevitably found mention, the speakers reiterating their demand for banning conversion and the Pope making an apology for what they alleged was killing of large number of people in Goa several years ago.

The organisers even paraded on stage four youths, who the VHP claims have reconverted into Hindus or were being forced by the missionaries to become Christians. One of them, Ishubhai, was given a new name: Karan.

There were few takers for the rath, which bore a painting of a Goan church and a demolished temple and a call to stop social work for conversion.

In Vadodara, sants blessed the youths who had reconverted into Hindus and calledon the masses to keep relations with them as Hindus. The organisers also distributed papers which they claimed were brought out by `Great Missionaries'.

NAME GAME

One of the speakers at the Tilakwada rally repeatedly referred to Pope `John Pope', a mistake both he and the audience were apparently blissfully unaware of. In fact, many in the crowd were unsure who the Pope was. Harisinh Chauhan said he was Italy's President. Sanjay Tadvi did not know what the meeting was for and Chatur Tarpadia said the Pope was "coming to convert Hindus into Christians".