Guwahati: A Bajrang Dal leader in Assam on November 6 clarified his threat to Hindus visiting churches on Christmas.

“We will not beat them but will definitely stop them. There are ways to restrict. We might talk to them or start awareness initiatives,” Mithun Nath, Bajrang Dal’s Cachar district general secretary, told The Print over the phone.

At a working committee meeting of the Bajrang Dal in Silchar on December 3, Nath had allegedly said, “If Hindus go and visit churches on Christmas day, they will be taught a lesson. They are locking temples in Shillong and we are celebrating with them. This can’t be allowed.”

He was referring to the alleged closure of the Vivekananda Centre, a part of Ramakrishna Mission, by the Khasi Student’s Union (KSU) in Meghalaya’s capital Shillong. Former Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy had also tweeted about the incident.

Nath, however, stressed that he won’t backtrack on his statement and claimed he had only said it because he wanted Hindus to “maintain self-respect.”

“I am not against Christians or celebrating Christmas. I just told people of my religion to have some self-respect. How does my statement become a national issue?” he added.

News agency PTI reported that the Cachar district administration has asked the Assam Police to investigate the alleged inflammatory speech made by Nath. Cachar Deputy Commissioner Keerthi Jalli was earlier quoted in The Hindu as saying that the district has taken a note of the diktat and a case has been filed suo motu.

“I don’t fear my arrest. My conscience is clear. We, the Hindus, have never broken a mosque or church to construct a temple. We enjoy every festival — be it Eid or Christmas,” said 39-year-old Nath, who has been associated with the Bajrang Dal for 20 years.

‘Should boycott Christmas celebrations’

Nath also said that Hindus in the Barak Valley have always celebrated all religious festivals together.

“Since the past three months, our Hindu brothers and non-tribals from Assam are being tortured by goons in Meghalaya. Shops are closed, they have shut down our temples. I have all evidence. Here in Cachar, the Mizos took away land belonging to Assam. Are we born to tolerate all this?

“We should boycott the celebrations (Christmas). Some people just want entertainment. In Silchar, almost 200 Hindus will visit the Church on Christmas against 10 odd Christians,” he added.

https://theprint.in/india/wont-beat-up-hindus