The NPCC has condemned alleged Christmas-time attacks on Christians, blaming the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union government for a growing climate of fear and intolerance.
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DIMAPUR — The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) has condemned incidents of alleged attacks on the Christian community reported from different parts of the country during the Christmas season, holding the BJP-led Union government responsible for what it described as a growing climate of fear and intolerance.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the NPCC said reports of churches being vandalised, Christmas decorations damaged, and worship services disrupted during the festival period were “deeply disturbing” and pointed to a breakdown of law and order. It alleged that minorities, particularly Christians, were targeted even on Christmas Day, a festival associated with peace and harmony.
The Congress unit also condemned incidents in which, it claimed, extremist groups disrupted Christmas fellowship gatherings, used abusive language in public spaces, and created fear among worshippers, including women and children. Such acts, it said, amounted to violations of constitutional rights and human dignity.
Referring to a reported incident in Assam, the NPCC expressed concern over an alleged attack on St. Mary’s English School in Panigaon village, Nalbari district, on Christmas Eve. The party claimed the attack was carried out by activists linked to the Vishva Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal, and said targeting an educational institution during a religious festival reflected “the dangerous radicalisation being encouraged by the ruling establishment’s silence and inaction.”
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The NPCC alleged that the BJP and the Union government had emboldened fringe elements through “their politics of division, selective outrage, and systematic targeting of minorities,” and accused the ruling dispensation of failing to act decisively against those involved in such incidents.
Stating that India is a secular nation governed by the Constitution, the NPCC said it would not remain silent in the face of what it described as intimidation of minorities and curbs on religious freedom.
The party demanded immediate and impartial investigations into all reported incidents, strict legal action against those responsible, and accountability from the Union and the concerned state governments.
Reaffirming its solidarity with the Christian community and other minorities, the NPCC said it would continue to oppose any attempt to divide the country along religious lines.