Christian organizations in Assam are calling for legal action against Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Surendra Kumar Jain after his controversial remarks accusing churches in the state of involvement in drug trafficking.
The Hindutva leader, Jain made these statements on Sunday, October 27, while felicitating a local freedom fighter Joya Thaosen at an event in Haflong, Dima Hasao District.
During his speech, Jain connected churches with drug trafficking asserting that the practice was negatively impacting the region. His comments have prompted significant outrage among local Christian groups.
Christian leader’s joint statement
On Tuesday, November 5, Several Christian organisations including the United Christian Forum of Dimahasou, the United Christian Forum of Karbi Anglong, and the Assam Christian Forum (ACF) issued a statement a joint statement condemning the Jain’s statement while expressing “deep shock and dismay.” They stated that the VHP leader’s statement was appalling and ‘rude’ and sorely polarized the society.
In response to Jain’s accusations, the ACF described the allegations as “frivolous” and as part of a plan to isolate the Christian population. They pointed out that such statements are not only distorting the function of the church in society but also undermining the traditions of inter-Christian harmony in Assam.
Other Christian leaders have strongly criticized Jain’s remarks as inflammatory claiming they incite civil unrest. They also dismiss these allegations by arguing that the church’s commitment to fostering a drug-free environment and educating people about the dangers of substance abuse.
Samarjit Haflongbar, a former MLA of the Congress party echoed the same sentiments and said that if Jain’s allegations are true then law and order should take some action, however, it should not be that situation where false allegations are made to disturb the harmony between two communities.
The reactions from the Christian community reflect a growing trend of increasing intolerance and harassment faced by religious minorities in India, particularly Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ruled states that have taken a Hindu-first approach to governance.
