The Shillong All Faiths Forum (SAFF) has condemned the act of vandalism of idols in the Boothnath Kali Mandir at Mawbah by miscreants stating it was an act of pure hooliganism.
“If not tempered with sanity and understanding, acts such as these would portend to invoke communal hatred and religious fanaticism and perpetrators of these incidents should be appropriately dealt with by the authorities,” SAFF president, Most Revd Dr Purely Lyngdoh in a statement said.
He said the representatives of all the faith communities under the SAFF have unanimously expressed great displeasure that this obnoxious act had taken place in Shillong.
The SAFF also exhorted that all leaders of different communities and organisations to be on the alert to curb repetitions of these acts and at the same time to identify those who are crying out in need of lawful support, guidance and counselling. “These will promote harmony and respect in the communities,” it added.
SAFF also appealed authorities to make extra efforts in securing these locations in and around the city which are crime-prone zones.
The Thma U Rangli-Juki too has demanded immediate action against perpetrators and said people in Meghalaya should guard against majoritarian impulses and work towards a pluralist State.
“This act of icon desecration comes at a time when across India religious minorities have been consistently facing physical as well as ideological attacks from Hindu majoritarian organisations. Calls for genocide and anti Muslim rhetoric, attacks on churches and Christmas celebrations, anti conversion laws, cancellation of FCRA licenses of minority charitable organisations like missionaries of charity etc. And sadly India seems to be celebrating majoritarian violence and there is s defeaning silence,” TUR said.
