SHILLONG, Feb 14: BJP’s ‘silence’ on the atrocities against Christians and churches across the country has emboldened the Hindu fundamentalists, said the vice president of Khasi Jaintia Church Leaders Forum (KJCLF), Bishop Purely Lyngdoh, while condemning the growing incidents of attacks on the minority community.
“The fault of BJP as a party and especially their leaders is that they are not saying (anything) and keep quiet. But whether the whole BJP is responsible or not needs to be investigated,” Lyngdoh told a section of reporters after a prayer meeting for the Assembly elections at the English Service Chapel, Khyndai Lad, on Tuesday.
The KJCLF vice president said that certain Hindu groups are taking the law into their own hands. “India is a secular country and everyone has the right to follow and propagate what they believe,” he said.
Calling the bluff of political parties, Lyngdoh, on the sidelines, said that the parties and their candidates are doing the opposite of what is being advocated — dissociate with the use of money power. “…in reality, the political parties and candidates are doing the opposite. The use of money is wrong and the Christians do not approve of it,” Lyngdoh said.
On the ensuing polls, he said the church is look forward to fair and square elections.
“We expect and hope that the voters will exercise their franchise with a clear conscience. As a church, we are not supporting any political party,” he said.
Moreover, KJCLF secretary Dr Edwin H Kharkongor said, “We pray for a corruption-free governance.
We would also urge the people to exercise their franchise without being influenced whether by money power or any form of induces.”
It may be mentioned that Archbishop Victor Lyngdoh chaired the prayer meeting, while the Vicar General of Archdiocese of Shillong, Fr FR Majaw, and members from different churches took part in the prayer meeting.
