The disturbing harassment meted out to a Christian nun from South Garo Hills while she was travelling in Assam was raised in the Meghalaya Assembly here today.
A news report published today detailed the case of the nun, Sister Rosemary, who serves in St John’s parish in Siju. She was travelling from Dudhnoi to Goalpara in Assam, TMC legislator Charles Pyngrope said in a zero hour notice in the house, when she was harassed by the bus conductor and some of the passengers, who made derogatory remarks against her, the habit she was wearing and her faith.
“After some time, they stopped the bus at an isolated place and she was forced to alight from the bus. The incident caused serious mental agony and harassment to Sister Rosemary, both as a woman and a religious person. With the help of some other people, the Sister then took another bus to proceed to Goalpara,” Pyngrope said.
Assam has recently been in the news about threats made to Christian schools.
Pyngrope said that there are numerous religious priests and nuns in Assam who wear their religious dress, as in any other place in the country. “Harassment of people because they wear a particular dress or religious habit is ridiculous and unheard of. Such incidents take place because of a false narrative and propaganda spread against a particular religion. It is the duty of the government to take adequate steps to curb such propaganda and create an atmosphere of social and religious harmony among the citizens,” the opposition MLA said.
Leader of the opposition Ronnie V Lyngdoh submitted a petition to the Chief Minister regarding the incident.
In a short reply, the CM, Conrad K Sangma, assured the house that the matter has been taken up with the Assam CM, who has assured to take necessary action.
Sangma had been informed of the incident the day it occurred. “I immediately took it up with the CM of Assam, so the matter has been brought to his notice. He has officially informed us that he will take necessary action. We are waiting for more details because the information we received was not sufficient to be able to pursue the matter in any official capacity,” he added. “We don’t have the bus number or details of names or anything that could lead us to the individuals. We are aware and are taking it up and will pursue the matter and it’s our desire that such incidents don’t happen again.”
