The statement claims that Jesus Christ is the ultimate fulfilment of the "human heart's restless searching", that God's only son is Jesus Christ, that Christ does not "speak in the name of God" like prophets but "he is God himself". It also says that Diwali is celebrated due to "an ancient mythology", omitting reference to the same as a Hindu "scripture".

Though no ecclesiastical sources were ready to go on record on the matter, some of them said the statement was "insensitive" and hadn't taken "Indian realities" into consideration.

It is "coming at a time when we are struggling to find an acceptable equation with the new challenges thrown up by evolving political equations," they said. They also pointed out that the head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope John Paul II, is visiting India between November 5 and 7.

The Diwali greeting was issued by Cardinal Francis Arinze, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, in the Vatican.

"Dear Hindu friends", the statement says, "As you celebrate the religious festival of Diwali, which symbolically suggest the victory of truth over untruth, light over darkness, life over death, good over evil, peace over conflict, I wish all of you abundant divine blessings and happiness throughout the new year which you begin according to your tradition."

What has disturbed those in the Indian church, especially liberal theologians, is the third paragraph of the message which says: "The Christian faith also is essentially built on fundamental openness to the Transcendent. The mystery of Jesus Christ reveals fully the religious nature of the human person. The Christian faith presents Jesus as the ultimate fulfilment of the human heart's restless searching: "No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known" (John 1:1 8).

In the person of Jesus Christ, God is revealed to humanity. "Jesus does not in fact merely speaks 'in the name of God' like the Prophets, but he is God himself speaking in his Eternal Word made flesh." (Pope John Paul II, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 6). This is why Christians throughout the world will soon be celebrating the Year 2000 as the Yesu Christa Jayanti. This occasion is a suitable moment to reflect together on the human family's common pilgrimage and to seek ways of ensuring a future of peace and solidarity among all people."

To make things worse, in the footnote to the statement, the cardinal says Diwali is "based on an ancient mythology".

Church sources said the assertion of Christ's salvific vision, and the subtle assertion of Christ's superiority are in "no way welcome at this point". A respected senior theologian said, "There is a tricky situation in this country. A minority of fundamentalists are trying to mount attacks on Christians, and the church's statement should have been more lenient and with respect to the realities."

He pointed out that in the past the statements have been more liberal, and "not so assertive of the superiority of Christianity".

As usual, the statement has called for a dialogue between Christians and Hindus who recognize "the profound differences existing between us but sees also how much we hold in common" and who also "must seek to respond to the great challenges now facing humanity," the theologian said.

Last year, when attacks were mounting against Christians, the Vatican's call for a dialogue was widely welcomed.

"This time the statement is quite dry, a sort of cut-throat approach," a priest said.