By Matters India Reporter
Imphal, April 13, 2023: The All Manipur Christian Organisation (AMCO) has expressed serious concern over the demolition of three churches belonging to three different denominations in the northeastern Indian state that has 41 percent Christians.
The Manipur authorities on March 11 demolished the Evangelical Baptist Convention Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church Manipur and Catholic Holy Spirit Church at Tribal Colony in Imphal, the state capital.
In a press release on April 12, the AMCO condemned the demolition of only Christian places of worship under the pretext that they were built on government land without permission.
“The harsh action of the night raid” in the presence of a large posse of security personnel and without any regards to religious sanctity “has created a nightmare and fear psychosis to the people in and around them and also hurts the sentiments of the Christians in general,” said the statement that conveyed its solidarity to the “ill-fated members of the three Churches.
The Christian body termed it unfortunate that the government demolished only Christian worship places despite a Supreme Court instruction for regularization, relocation or removal of unauthorized religious structures.
The Christian body also noted that under the Supreme Court directive, the Manipur Policy for review of unauthorized construction of religious structures was framed and a proposal for regularization of 188 religious structures in five districts was approved by the state cabinet on October 11, 2011. Subsequently they were regularized on October 27 the same year.
“It is unfortunate that not even a single church/Christian worship place was included (regularized). This was a discriminatory decision of the government,” the AMCO statement asserted.
It urged the state government, now ruled by a coalition led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, to follow in its true sense and spirit the noble ideals of secularism enshrined in the Constitution which guarantees Freedom of Religion, Belief, Faith and Worship to every citizen.
The Christian body called upon all Churches and denominations in Manipur to cooperate and share the grief and sorrow of their brethren at Tribal colony.
It further reiterated its undaunted commitment to uphold the spirit of love, care and fraternity among the people of Manipur, irrespective of caste, creed and religion.
One of the demolished churches had existed since 1974.
The churches were demolished days after the Manipur High Court vacated its 2020 order for status quo on an order for an eviction drive by the BJP-led state government.
The matter was brought to the high court by a local organization. An order passed by the bench of Acting Chief Justice M.V. Muralidaran April 4 said the decision of the state authorities in evicting the respondent churches are based on the documents, policy decisions and pursuant to the directions of the Supreme Court.
Chief minister N Biren Singh said that the demolition was in accordance with the court order.
Pastor Nengzahau V. Haupi said the government eviction notice came on December 24, 2020, and the high court protected the status quo for 3 years. However, the high court revoked their status quo.
As the administration demolished the churches, many Christians gathered and performed prayers on the debris on April 11.
One of the priests said that the state government should not have demolished the churches as those were not for personal benefit of any individual or organization, reports Deccan Herald.