SHILLONG, Dec 2: The All India Trinamool Congress-Meghalaya (AITCM) State Unit, on Thursday, questioned the ‘silence’ of the NPP-led coalition and its ‘failure’ to take up the matter with regard to ‘legitimising’ the use of violence against Christians in Karnataka, based on a statement of Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai with the NDTV.
“The silence of the NPP and the BJP shows that their words and actions do not match up in upholding constitutional values and the spirit of democracy,” stated AITC state president, Charles Pyngrope.
Condemning the ‘provocative’ and ‘insinuating’ statements made by Basavaraj, Pyngrope said, “Such statements coming out of a person holding constitutional office is not only demeaning but is in contravention with Article 25 of the Constitution of India, which gives all persons the fundamental right of conscience and right to freely practice, profess and propagate religion subject to public order, morality and health”.
“The proposed survey by the state government of Karnataka of identifying people who are Christian by faith and their places of worship is nothing short of witch-hunting and a deliberate attempt to create a communal divide in society, which is highly condemnable and uncalled for,” he added.
“Such actions by the state in itself goes to the extent of allowing fringe elements and non-state actors like the RSS, Bajrang Dal, VHP and others to single out Christians as well as other minority faith groups and communities in the state,” Pyngrope said.