SHILLONG:
Meghalaya Trinamool Congress (TMC) has again taken a jibe against the BJP-ruled Assam Government for ordering an inquiry into the number of new churches established in the region.
The matter pertains to a letter from the Special Branch, Assam Police seeking details on the number of churches established within the past year, the number of existing churches instances of religious conversion in the past six years, and the people involved in conversion activities by December 22.
While addressing a press conference at the West Garo Hills District Party Office in Tura, AITC Meghalaya Vice President and Rangsakona MLA, Zenith M Sangma, said, “The BJP has the intention to destabilize or disturb peaceful worshipping of Christian communities in different churches. We condemn the act of barbarism and divisive politics by the BJP Government in Assam. We also condemn vicious attacks on the Churches and our religious leaders as it has become normal in all the BJP-ruled states.”
Stating that Meghalaya TMC cannot turn a blind eye looking at the hypocrisy of the BJP government, the Meghalaya TMC MLA mentioned, “We cannot stay as silent spectators, and we are not spineless. Therefore, we will fight till the end, and we cannot allow our great nation to be broken into pieces and the secular fabric to get destroyed. Hence, we will collectively fight against this cruel and discriminatory act of the BJP government in different states.”
While lambasting the BJP Government over hate politics towards the Christian fraternity, Zenith M Sangma commented, “Today, we see that Church is being persecuted in every BJP-ruled state. We never heard about such attacks in our North East states.
However, ever since the BJP Government came into power in Assam, we come across such incidents of extreme tribulation to the Christians. BJP is working to fulfil its hidden agenda. Recent incidents where Churches are being vandalized, the Pastors and Church leaders getting whiplashed in Maharashtra, Karnataka indicate that the Christian community is getting suppressed by the BJP.”
“The people know that the BJP Government in different states is acting against the Constitution. We can see the founding leaders of our great nation have envisioned and framed the constitution in such a way wherein there is inclusiveness so we can carry along every community throughout the country,” he added.
On December 26, Meghalaya TMC state vice presidents George B Lyngdoh and James Lyngdoh demanded answers as to why the Assam Government was seeking such details.
The party also said that this was an attempt to “humiliate people and derail the Christmas spirit.”