Herod Mullick, the general secretary of Bangiya Christiya Pariseba (Bengal Christians Services) has written to the chief minister of the West Bengal on Monday the 18th August’08, for introducing a fund for sponsoring members of Christian community of Bengal to pilgrimage in Jerusalem on Good Friday and Easter from next year.
Herod Mullick said, “Around a hundred fifty thousand Christians live in Calcutta and the number is over a million in Bengal. Most Christians want to visit Jerusalem on Good Friday and Easter but could not do so because of high travel expenses involved amounting to USD $1500 (Rs.60000/-) for a round trip.”
Mullick cited the example of Andhra Pradesh Government, which has recently granted Rs.2 crore (USD 500000) to help Christians from the state to visit the Holy Land.
“We thank the Andhra government for their secular gesture that will help Christians realize their long cherished dream. We hope the Bengal government too, will make the same gesture,” the organization said in the letter to the chief minister, the copy of which were also sent to Bengal’s minority affair minister, Abdus Sattar and the Chairman of the states minority commission.