SHILLONG, Jan 3: Ruling and opposition parties in Meghalaya condemned the attacks on Christians and vandalisation of churches in Chhattisgarh.
They demanded strict action against the perpetrators of the crime.
“Condemn the attack on #Christians and the vandalization of the church at #Narayanpur in Chhattisgarh. Urge the authorities to take strict action against those involved. Praying for speedy recovery of the police personnel and those injured during the incidents,” Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma tweeted on Tuesday.
Hashtagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to a video showing a group of men vandalising the statue of mother Mary, Leader of Opposition Mukul Sangma tweeted, “What is happening in this country? Are we forgetting the strength that we draw as a Nation from its linguistic, cultural & religious diversity – the unity in diversity that laid the foundation for strong modern India?”
Several persons, including a police officer, were injured in an alleged attack on Christian families in the Gorra village of Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district on Sunday. The incident comes two weeks after some Christian families were allegedly assaulted and driven away following coordinated attacks in more than a dozen villages in the district.
Opposition leader Mukul Sangma expressed concern over the attack.
“What is happening in this country? Are we forgetting the strength that we draw as a Nation from its linguistic, cultural & religious diversity – the unity in diversity that laid the foundation for strong modern India,” Mukul tweeted.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Tuesday said it would fight the agenda against the minorities to ensure that the secular fabric of the country is not destroyed by parties which subscribed to such anti-secular and anti-Christians stand.
“We appeal to the people to stay calm. As elected leaders and responsible citizens, we will keep fighting,” TMC vice president George B Lyngdoh said.
Stating that just after Christmas and New Year, there have been several incidents of atrocities and high-handedness against Christians in several parts of the country, he said, “Following the survey and the monitoring done by the BJP government in Assam and also news reports of Christian leaders being monitored in Assam and Christian activities being monitored in Shillong and its adjoining areas, the year 2023 seems to be starting off on a wrong note. It is a bad sign for the Christian minorities across the country”.
The Khasi Jaintia Christian Leaders Forum (KJCLF) also condemned the attacks on the Christian community and vandalisation of churches across the country.
“A church was vandalised by a mob at Narayanpur district in Chhattisgarh when we are just entering the new year. Many people were injured including the SP of the incident,” KJCLF secretary, Edwin H Kharkongor said.
He recalled that the Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs had recently met religious leaders of the state and assured that the BJP-led government at the Centre will take steps to remove the “fear” prevailing among the minority communities in the country.
Kharkongor said the incident in Chhattisgarh presents a totally different picture than what was assured by the Union MoS.
Two days after Christmas, a church in Karnataka’s Mysuru was vandalised by the miscreants. On December 20, a man, dressed up as Santa Claus, was beaten up allegedly by a Hindutva mob at a residential colony in Gujarat.
A video went viral on social media showing a group of people, allegedly from a Hindu organisation, burning an effigy of Santa Claus and chanting “Santa Claus Murdabad.” Then, a group of men armed with sticks, had attacked a Christmas programme in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi alleging forced conversions.
