Former MLA George B Lyngdoh has described the antics of Instagrammer Akash Sagar as an outright attack on the peace and communal harmony of the state.
Sagar is accused of offending the religious sentiments of the Christian community by shouting Hindu slogans from the pulpit of a church in Mawlynnong recently.
Lyngdoh stated that infringing upon the religious rights of other communities is unacceptable as it creates an environment of hate, misunderstanding and communal disharmony.
He urged the aggrieved residents of Mawlynnong to come forward and file an FIR against the social media personality.
“These are stray elements whose actions may stem from religious enthusiasm or fervour, possibly with the intention of spreading their beliefs. However, infringing upon the religious rights of others is unacceptable; it only fosters an atmosphere of hate and misunderstanding,” said Lyngdoh.
He pointed out that this is an attempt to disrupt communal harmony in society and infringes upon the rights of many individuals. He affirmed that, since this appears to be an attack on peace and communal harmony, complaints have been filed and the government should adhere to the rule of law.
Earlier, the Meghalaya unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strongly condemned the alleged actions of Sagar.
The BJP has always struggled to make inroads in Meghalaya’s electoral politics, largely because its image as a Hindu nationalist party has not gone down well in this Christian-majority state. It was therefore quick to take the lead in slamming Sagar for his actions.
The state unit’s spokesperson, Mariahom Kharkrang, said that the Instagrammer’s acts “have the potential to hurt the sentiments of Christians across the state and the country. Such cheap publicity stunts, aimed at furthering one’s personal agendas, only
hurt the sensitivities of every right thinking citizen across faiths and can act as a catalyst to inter-religious frictions. This must be avoided at all costs, especially in a state that prides itself for religious harmony, a state where people of all creeds wholeheartedly participate in each other’s festivals.”
The BJP, he added, “has always upheld the principles of positive secularism, is fiercely protective about national unity and strongly believes in the equality of all religions. It’s important to note that the Prime Minister himself joins the Church leaders on Christmas Eve and leads the nation in celebrating the message of universal love. Any act of any individual or group, which vitiates the atmosphere of peaceful coexistence, deserves condemnation and appropriate preventive measures must be taken.”
The saffron party called on the state police to take necessary action against the accused.
