DIMAPUR, APRIL 12 (MExN): Slamming the decision of the Congress-led Tarun Gogoi government in Assam to vacate the 162-year-old heritage Baptist Church at Pan Bazar, Guwahati to facilitate space for a parking lot, the Nagaland BJP today said the move has “not only hurt sentiments of the Christians but also the people of the Northeastern region in general.”
The saffron party’s state president, Ato Yepthomi, in a press release said, “Such a step taken by the Congress Government boldly speaks about its partisan attitude and questions its secular credentials.”
“The Nagaland BJP strongly opposes such a move, where the sentiments of majority of the Christians in the Northeast are hurt. Something, which is as old as 162 years, is not only a heritage but also a national monument, which needs to be preserved.”
Yepthomi also registered surprise on the silence of the Christian community and other Church leaders in both Assam and Nagaland over the issue. “It should be known to one and all that during the Congress regime in Nagaland, there were a large number of atrocities against the Christians. A large number of Nagas were killed, women were raped and the sanctity of Church was destroyed by the Indian Army.”
The BJP has appealed to all Church leaders in Nagaland and the Northeast to put pressure on the Congress party in the state to stop the atrocities against the Christian community. “The Congress leaders of Nagaland should immediately convey the message of the Christian community in Nagaland and stop the demolition of the heritage Church in Guwahati,” the saffron party stated.
As an alternative, the Nagaland BJP has proposed that the Central Jail, situated in the midst of the city, be relocated to a different venue to pave way for the parking lot. “The Nagaland BJP also suspects some foul play in the whole episode and is of the suspicions that some middlemen are involved in the shifting of the 162 year old Church, which is not in the knowledge of the Council of Baptist Churches in Northeast India.”
Raining down heavily on the Congress, Yepthomi stated that the political party with the hand as its symbol “continues its atrocities against the minority community, although it claims to be the secular party. The Congress has always blamed the BJP and questions their secular credentials, but now the people can judge who is secular and who is not secular.”
Giving examples, Yepthomi stated that the Congress-led Government passed the Anti-Conversion Bill in the Northeast region in Arunachal Pradesh during the regime of Gegong Apang, the same of which was passed in Orissa during Gridar Gomongo’s regime, and in Himachal Pradesh. “However, they are opposing the BJP’s stand on the same.”
“The Babri Masjid demolition took place during the Janata Dal regime, yet the Congress put the blame on the BJP. In fact, it was Congress leader late Rajiv Gandhi, who had installed the idol of Ram in the disputed Ayodhya site.”
The BJP has also taken serious note of a statement published in a local daily under the heading, ‘Leopard cannot change its colour’, while referring to the party. “The BJP would like to make it clear that Nagas are not short of memory about atrocities committed against the Naga Christians during the Congress regime. Who is the leopard in reality?”
During Indira Gandhi’s 20-point programme, the party stressed on population control (nasbandhi in mid 70’s) aiming at the NE states particularly and they “forced” upon the people of this region to follow the policy, Yepthomi stated and added, “At present the UPA Government at the Centre still plays the appeasement game by dividing the nation.”
The BJP has appealed to all sections of society, especially the churches, NBCC and Christian community “to take note of the absurd policies of the Congress and stand united to fight atrocities committed against the minority community.”
