SHILLONG: Church leaders told Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday that they were gripped by a “deep sense of insecurity” following reports of attacks on minority institutions across the country.
Church representatives and leaders of the indigenous Seng Khasi and other minority groups told Gandhi that they were particularly worried about “intolerance” towards one’s food habits, language and culture.
The All India Congress Committee president invited religious leaders and traditional heads to a meeting here on Wednesday.
“We expressed our concern about the kind of ideology that is being imposed, which is a dangerous. We have to grow together and respect everybody,” Bishop Michael of the Church of North India said after the meeting.
Unitarian Church leader Derrick P Pariat said his group had an interactive session with the Gandhi scion in which they “agreed to disagree” on a lot of issues.
“Rahul talked about unity in diversity and that the Congress party cannot change the principle of inclusiveness in the country while safeguarding national and local interests,” he said.
The church leader also raised concerns about religious insecurity prevailing in the country.
In a statement to the press, the administrative secretary of the Presbyterian Church of India, Rev GS Lyttan, said problems arise because the central and state governments are attempting to crush the fundamental rights, even the right to worship freely.
There were discussions on the New Education Policy, Juvenile Justice Act and the Uniform Civil Code.
Lyttan said that there were many issues raised by the BJP which were against the rights of the people, especially Christians.
The Church leaders told Gandhi about the potential danger faced by minority groups and said they need political protection from the state government and the Centre. The Citizenship Bill, “which will pose a threat to the minority community”, was also part of the discussion.
Lyttan said the church leaders cited the case of Tripura and urged Gandhi to not allow Parliament to pass the Citizenship Bill.
They also appealed to Gandhi for the setting up of an airport in the state so that people don’t have to go to Gopinath Bordoloi Airport in Guwahati.
Lyttan said Gandhi has assured them that the Congress would take care of the issues once it comes to power. “We expressed our feelings of insecurity as minority religious groups in this country are facing a lot of difficulties under the current dispensation,” he added.
On sporadic attacks on churches, church workers and minorities across the country, he said, “We feel we need political protection from the Centre and states.”
According to the 2011 census, Christians constitute almost 75 per cent of the three million plus population in the northeastern state.
Traditional heads meet Rahul
A delegation of over 500 traditional chieftains from Khasi and Jaintia Hills also interacted with Gandhi at Pinewood Convention Centre on Wednesday.
In a statement issued here, chairman of the Grand Council of Chiefs of Meghalaya and spokesperson of the Federation of Khasi States, John Kharshiing, welcomed Gandhi on behalf of the 6,300 grassroots traditional village institutions in Meghalaya.
The representatives of the three-tier administration of Dorbar Kur, Dorbar Shnong, Dorbar Raid and Dorbar Hima raised concerns over lack of legal status and provisions within the Constitution for the traditional institutions like the Syiemship, Lyngdohship, Sirdarship, Dolloiship and Nokmas. Also, they informed that the government relied on the traditional heads to execute services without any remuneration.
The representatives from the HNYF also urged Gandhi to examine the core issue of the Khasi-Jaintia people, especially the constitutional anomaly vis-a-vis the Khasi states and their accession terms without which a number of conflicts was taking place with central legislation and traditional customs.
The traditional heads expressed their concerns over the Village Administration Bill and its unnecessary reference to the MHA by the former governor.
Gandhi, while responding to all the questions and suggestions, stated that the Congress’s ideology was to respect and preserve all culture and customs in the country while the RSS and the BJP had a different idea of “India”.
The AICC chief said while some said Meghalaya is India he stated that they should also remember that without Meghalaya, India cannot be complete.
He stated that the Congress always ensured that different languages, social customs and ways of life of the indigenous people are given adequate protection. He stated that he would provide all support to ensure that the traditional institutions are given formal recognition.
MPCC working president Vincent Pala said he had tried his best to facilitate the representatives of the traditional heads in New Delhi and had been seeking audience with Home Minister Rajnath Singh for the last three months and till date no appointment has been given.
Pala also informed that as member of the committee, re-amendment of the Sixth Schedule they had a nine-hour committee discussion and most of the BJP MPs opposed the bill that he had moved for amendments.
Talks with NGOs, other groups
The Congress chief met a cross section of people, including those from NGOs and self-help groups, besides college teachers and heads of tribal institutions. He interacted with women groups at St Edmund’s College, a senior state party unit leader said.
The Co-ordination Committee of Central Government Employees and Workers, Meghalaya, also met Gandhi and submitted a memorandum consisting of the problems of central government employees in the state in particular and the North East Circle in general and after threadbare discussion urged him for early solution.
