From Our Correspondent
MAWKYRWAT, May 31: Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president and Congress candidate for the Shillong by-election, Vincent H Pala, on Saturday launched his election campaign here, predicting the downfall of the BJP. Pala claimed the BJP’s policies prioritise the interests of a single religion over the welfare of the entire nation.
Addressing a campaign meeting at Mawkyrwat Market, Pala highlighted the potential threat of the Anti-Conversion Bill to Christian minorities in India. He warned that if the bill becomes law, religious gatherings such as Catholic Church processions or Presbyterian Church Synods would require official permission, and any violation of conditions could lead to stern action.
“The BJP is not considering other religions. You can see what is happening in Bengal, where cow slaughtering was banned even during the celebration of Eid,” Pala said, noting that these actions have sparked protests.
He further argued that religious-based laws would have economic repercussions. “In India, most people who rear cattle are Hindus, while the consumers are mostly Muslims and Christians. If slaughtering is banned, it will create a major problem for poor Hindu farmers who will be unable to sell their livestock. The BJP will soon fall to its own mistakes because they do not view India as a whole, but act only in the interest of one religion,” Pala stated.
Urging the people of South West Khasi Hills to support the Congress for the sake of development and national interest, Pala was joined at the meeting by district leaders, including South West Khasi Hills District Congress Committee (SWKHDCC) president Kynpham V Kharlyngdoh.
