Guwahati: Expressing solidarity with Dalit Sikhs of Meghalaya, All India Christian Council says the opponents of the Church in India are propagating recent clashes in Shillong as a case of Christian majority community attacking minority Dalit Sikhs.
“Opponents of the Church in India are already misusing these incidents for propaganda as a case of Christian majority community attacking Dalit Sikhs,” says a statement issued by Bishop Paothang Haokip, coordinator of the North East India unit of the Hyderabad-based ecumenical council.
It urged Christians in Meghalaya as well as other communities to find solutions to the problems and issues through peaceful dialogue rather than resorting to violence. Violence only begets more violence.
“As the nation is being actively polarized based on caste, religions, and tribes, it is important that Christians everywhere demonstrate that they resort to peaceful methods of resolving complex social problems,” the council pleaded.
Normalcy has slowly returned to Shillong after the capital of the northeastern Indian state witnessed unrest since May 30.
Violence broke out after two groups in the city’s Punjabi Lane area clashed after a bus driver was allegedly beaten up by a group of residents.
The agitators later started demanding eviction of Punjabi people settled in the Punjabi Lane locality. Curfew was clamped and additional security forces were rushed in to bring situation under control.