THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday condemned the “heinous” attack on Christians at Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh and demanded legal steps against the attackers.
“The team of tribal people, including children and women, who were on a pilgrimage were taken to the police station alleging forced religious conversion. The Keralite priests who came to the aid of the tribal people were attacked in the presence of police personnel. The incident is extremely heinous,” the CM said in a statement.
“Those behind the attack should realise that increasing incidents of communal attacks in the country is a threat to peaceful living of people and progress of the country. They should withdraw from attempts to spread hatred and create unrest,” he said.
Saying that the delay in resolving the Manipur issue resulted in an increase in attacks against religious minorities, the CM said the international organisations including the Human Rights Watch, have reported about the increasing incidents of communal violence in India. Accusing the Union government of staying mum when the country’s image is shattered in the backdrop of the rising violence, the CM urged the MP government and the Centre to extend support to the attack victims.