GUWAHATI: The TMC has shot off a letter to the Vatican Embassy in India over the Assam church survey letter that was issued by a senior cop in the state.
Senior TMC leader Saket Gokhale has written a letter to the Embassy of the Holy See of the Vatican on Thursday.
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The letter urged the Vatican Embassy to take note of the Assam church survey order.
The TMC leader alleged that the Assam Church survey order amounts to “state-sponsored persecution of Christians”.
The letter has been addressed to Reverend Leopoldo Girelli, Apostolic Nuncio to India, Embassy of the Holy See of Vatican.
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In the letter, Gokhale stated: “Through this representation, we wish to apprise you of this extremely serious issue in the state of Assam with an appeal to notify His Holiness Pontifex Maximus as well as The Holy See regarding this state-sponsored persecution of Christians and to take up this issue in the relevant diplomatic forums with the Government of India as you may deem fit.”
Gokhale alleged that the Assam government is “using the police and intelligence department to target and persecute not only the Christian clergy in the state but also people who have chosen to embrace the teachings of Lord Jesus Christ and convert to Christianity”.
“The right to profess, propagate and practise one’s faith is a fundamental right guaranteed under Article 25 of the Constitution of India. Moreover, international law, as well as the Geneva Convention, recognises the right to freely practise religion and faith of one’s choice as a fundamental human right,” the TMC leader said.
“With the circular, the BJP government in Assam has now institutionalised the persecution and targeting of Christians and churches in the state and is using the state machinery and intelligence agencies to deny Christians the right to practise their faith and to target those that wish to embrace Christianity,” he added.