Churches in Garo hills will observe protest on January 7. The decision to protest came in the wake of ABVP’s attempt to conduct particular form of worship in St.Mary’s P.G.College in Vidisha, Sagar Diocese in Madhya Pradesh on January 4.
On this day churches will protest through prayers for the Christian community in North India who are being frequently attacked by Bajrang Dal.
“The rising tide of intolerance and violence against minority communities especially in North India is a cause of serious concern to the Christian communities in Meghalaya,” a release issued from the Diocese of Tura said on Friday.
“Although the attempt was foiled due to the intervention of the Home Minister Rajnath Singh for which the Christian community is deeply grateful, and yet the fact remains that the tiny minority Christian community living there in fear and anxiety is indeed a cause of worry”, the release added.
The release stated that the same College has already been attacked once by these anti social elements on December 30, 2017 who entered the college by scaling walls.
It said that the attack took place in the presence of over 20 policemen who remained a mute spectator. “This type of terrorism is unacceptable. This false nationalism must stop. The mobs of these types are being emboldened as was earlier seen in Satna is worrying and disturbing”, the release said.
The release said that a fact finding team of lawyers deputed by Catholic Bishop Conference of India has reported that tiny Christian community is frightened and worried. They observed that “Bajrang Dal activists shouted slogans against Christians using filthy and foul languages.
“The Bajrang Dal activists asked brothers and priests to come forward one by one and took photos of everyone and wrote down the phone numbers; and the police silently watched. It looked as if the whole incident was scripted and directed by Bajrang Dal activists with the sponsorship of police. The manhandling and thrashing by the Bajrang Dal members were so ruthless that many got bruises and injuries. They forced the brothers to say Jai Sriram, Jai Bajrang Bali,” the release stated.
This incident along with many other incidents including those of cow vigilantes and communal statements issued by an MLA in UP threatening to break the limbs of cow killers in UP is a threat to the social harmony and development of the country. It appears that the fringe elements have the support of the respective state governments.
In this context the Church leaders appeal to all to pray for the brothers and sisters in North India as well as to observe Sunday the January 7 as a day of prayer to denounce anti-minority attitude especially against the Christians by holding special prayers in the entire Garo Hills, the release stated.