Shillong: India’s Tourism Minister Alphons Kannanthanam met several Church leaders in the Garo Hills on October 11 on his maiden visit to Tura, where he spoke about the “inclusive” nature of BJP governance. The state goes to the polls early next year.

“There was some apprehension and fear about what was appearing on the social media. I clarified the issues with them because 99 percent of social media news is fake. When BJP came to power in 2014, there was an apprehension that churches would be burnt and Christians would be beaten to death. There has not been even one instance when a church was burnt or Christians attacked anywhere in the country after Modi came to power,” Kannanthanam told the media after interacting with church leaders.

Kannanthanam, who is also the BJP’s election in charge for Meghalaya, called on Bishop Andrew R Marak of Tura, at the Bishop’s House and later interacted with church elders from the Garo Baptist Convention and the Church of North India at the West Garo Hills circuit house.
Senior BJP leaders, including Nalin Kohli, Meghalaya state BJP president Shibun Lyngdoh and others accompanied the minister.

The president of A’chik Baptist Dalgipa Krima, Aloysius G Momin, ABDK general secretary reverend Janang R Sangma, pastor of Tura Baptist Church, reverend Wetterfield Marak and pastor of Hawakhana Baptist Church Reverend Frithing Sangma were among the prominent Christian leaders who met the minister, reported The Times of India.

Emphasizing that he is a practising Christian, Alphons said despite not being a member of Parliament, he was made a minister in the Modi cabinet. “This shows it’s an all inclusive cabinet,” he added.