Among those visiting Intechmart Gujarat '98 will be industrialists, representatives of financial institutions and consultants, Indian as well as foreign. The idea is to bring together Indians and foreigners to push through projects involving investment of Rs 11,073 crore. Senior officials have visited foreign countries to do the groundwork.

But competing for publicity with Intechmart will be another event, which may negate government efforts. All Christian institutions in the state will be closed, community members will be taking out processions, presenting memoranda to authorities for protection of their basic human rights, holding fast and offering prayers -- all to highlight attacks on the community and its institutions.

To be fair, similar programmes will be organised by Christians all over the country. Nor will the protests be only against the incidents which have taken place in Gujarat. But Gujarat has a longer history of persecution of Christians, which began after the BJP government assumed office in the state in March. Only a month ago, Christians were again attacked in Vadodara.

An industries department officer said that the Christians' protest could not have come ``at a worse time''. With so many Indian and foreign industrialists around, this is ``the last thing one would wish to take place''. The incidents of last summer had attracted much adverse publicity all over the world; the protest now will remind people coming from far and wide that all is still not well in Gujarat, he said.

But Industries Minister Suresh Mehta claimed the protest by Christians would have ``no impact''. Nor would, for that matter, the recent attacks on Pepsi and Coca Cola in Surat have any impact, Mehta said. But why should anyone invest in Gujarat in these circumstances? ``It has peace and security,'' said Mehta, in all seriousness.

Interestingly, Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry President Utkarsh Shah was also optimistic. The problems of Christians and the attacks on Coca Cola were being ``handled diplomatically'', he said, adding, ``Even sanctions could not stop industrial investment.'' CII deputy regional director Raju Krishnaswami also felt Gujarat would keep attracting investment because it had ``industrial peace''.

But a senior officer sounded worried. He said that Gujarat had ceased to be competitive, given high costs of land, water and power vis-a-vis neighbouring Maharashtra. Its biggest plus point was peace. ``Now we seem to be losing this also,'' the officer said, adding, ``The unfortunate part is that all this could have been avoided by firm action''.

Minister of State for Home Haren Pandya said that the government had issued instructions to police to be firm with those violating law. But facts speak otherwise. Take the attack on Christians at Vadodara. Although VHP-Bajrang Dal activists owned up to the attack, five activists were arrested only after Governor Anshuman Singh threatened to visit the place, unless he was sent a report on the incident and the action taken by the government. Another two were arrested on Tuesday. As for the attack on Pepsi and Coca Cola, no one has yet been arrested.