Christians in India’s northeastern Assam are pinning hopes on the state’s highest constitutional authority after the elected government failed to respond to a spate of anti-Christian incidents, say leaders.
Representatives of the United Christian Forum (UCF), an ecumenical body, on March 11 met state governor Gulab Chand Kataria, a representative of the federal government and the highest constitutional authority in the state.
The Christian leaders decided to meet the governor because “there was no response” from the state government to stop increasing hostility, UCF president Jidan Aind, told UCA News on March 11.
Hindu groups on Feb. 7 set a 15-day deadline for missionary schools to remove Christian symbols from their premises. When the deadline ended, they threatened legal action against schools.
The group also asked priests and nuns to come to schools in civil dress rather than in their religious attire.
Christians in Assam had written to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking the government’s help.
But the government did not respond and the silence sends “a wrong message,” Aind said.
On Feb. 17, a nun was forced out of a passenger bus by the conductor after she was mocked for her Christian faith and religious dress in the state, bordering Muslim-majority Bangladesh.
“Certain organizations target Christians and their institutions. But the government is silent. It is disappointing” Aind said.
The open threats show that they “may have some backing from the government” Aind observed.
Christians feel that the proposed Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Bill, 2024, will be used to target Christian prayer services, which can be interpreted as “magic healing” sessions.
The Hindu Yuba Chattra Parishad (Hindu youth students’ council), asked the government on March 2 to ban all missionary schools in Assam at a press meet in Jagiroad in the Mayong sub-division.
“We see no reason why a particular religion, namely Christianity, should be subjected to undue pressure,” Christians said in the memorandum submitted to the governor.
This jeopardizes “peace, harmony, and peaceful co-existence,” they warned in the memorandum.
After Sarma became chief minister of Assam in May 2021, minorities like Christians and Muslims have been selectively targeted.
In December 2022, the state police conducted a “survey” to know details of religious conversion, parishes, and church-run institutions.
In December 2023, the Janjati Dharam Suraksha Manch, a Hindu group, asked the government to deprive tribal Christians of all benefits of India’s affirmation policy.
“The governor gave us a good hearing and assurance to look at the matter as soon as possible, we are hopeful the issues will be resolved soon, said Aind, a member of the tribal community.
India is going to polls in May this year and Assam sends 14 lawmakers to the Indian parliament. Modi is seeking a third consecutive term in the polls.
Christianity reached Assam in 1836 and gained ground during British colonial times. Christian missioners provide educational and health care services in the state’s remote areas, where tribal people live.
Christians make up 3.74 percent of the state’s 31 million people, higher than the national average of 2.3 percent.
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