By Matters India Reporter

Guwahati: The Assam Christian Forum, representing all denominations in the northeastern Indian state, has appealed to the people to vote for candidates who work for an inclusive and secular society and uphold the Constitution.

In the first such pre-election appeal, the forum also warned against the victimization of people if the Citizenship (Amendment) Act is promulgated. The Act seeks to fast-track the citizenship of non-Muslims who reportedly fled religious persecution in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan and took refuge in India till December 31, 2014.

ACF spokesperson Allen Brooks said the forum had in the past restricted itself to canvassing for free and fair elections and seeking jobs and development for the community.

“We are now speaking about an inclusive society because minorities are being increasingly intimidated. Father Stan Swamy’s arrest in the Bhima Koregaon case is an example. Another is the religion-specific CAA, though religion has nothing to do with citizenship,” he told The Hindu on Sunday.

“The ACF stands for the sanctity of the Constitution both in letter and spirit. The sovereign, socialist, secular and democratic republic character of the Constitution should be upheld and implemented,” the forum, headed by Rev John Moolachira, said in a statement on Saturday.

“Secularism must be further nurtured and strengthened: people of different faiths, ideologies, cultures and races should have the joy of living with dignity and freedom in the State. This implies that the freedom of religion should be facilitated and ensured; the worship and worship places, religious practices and services of the minority groups, and the autonomy of their institutions should be respected and protected as enshrined in the Constitution. Persons from minority communities should be given representation at all levels of governance and administration,” the forum said.

Christians constitute about 3.74 percent of Assam’s 33 million population, according to the 2011 census.

The text of the statement:

Assam Assembly Elections 2021

Assam Christian Forum, an ecumenical body of churches in Assam, declares its statement in the context of’ the forthcoming Assembly Elections in Assam, during March-April 2021 Assam Christian Forum stands for the sanctity of the Indian Constitution both in letter and spirit.

The Sovereign, Socialist, Secular and Democratic Republic character of the constitution should be upheld and implemented. The practice of Democracy – government of the people, for the people, by the people – in its true essence should be reflected in every strata of the society. Secularism must be further nurtured and strengthened: people of different faiths, ideologies, cultures, and races should have the joy of living with dignity and freedom in the state.

This implies that the freedom of religion should be facilitated and ensured; the worship and worship places, religious practices and services of the minority groups, and the autonomy of their institutions should be respected and protected as enshrined • in the Constitution. Persons from minority communities should be given representation at all levels of governance and administration.

The right to land, livelihood and life of all the people of the state has to be respected, protected, and developed. Just wages should be given to all labourers, particularly tea garden workers. Laws should be so framed that they do not endanger the land, livelihood, and income of tribal people. Furthermore, the rights and well-being of farmers, fisherfolk, industrial workers, cottage industry workers, migrant workers, and the like, should not be suppressed. The Government should ensure that the economy is not surrendered to Corporate Houses.

Policies on education should facilitate the students’ freedom of choice of medium of education, as well as protect their cultural, racial, and religious identities. They should affirm the constitutional freedom of minority institutions with regard to their curricula and spiritual commitments. Similarly, Acts such as FCRA should not be implemented with prejudice and bias to suppress the noble services of Civil Society Organizations (NGOs) and minority bodies.

Nobody should be unjustly victimized by the promulgation of CAA. Women and children should be given all encouragement to live fuller lives; the government should ensure that there is no abuse and trafficking of women and children. The Environment Impact Assessment Act should not be implemented as it is detrimental to the homeland, identity, and dignity of our people and to our mountains, plains, forests, rivers and air.

Let there be free and fair elections!

Let us all live in love, freedom, and dignity!