GUWAHATI: Trinamool Congress spokesperson Saket Gokhale wrote a letter to the Embassy of the Holy See of the Vatican urging it to take note of the Assam church “survey order” which amounts to “state-sponsored persecution of Christians”.
In the letter, Gokhale wrote, “Through this representation, we wish to apprise you of this extremely serious issue in the state of Assam with an appeal to notify His Holiness Pontifex Maximus as well as The Holy See regarding this state-sponsored persecution of Christians and to take up this issue in the relevant diplomatic forums with the Govt of India as you may deem fit.”
The TMC spokesperson was referring to the order by the “Assam Police” seeking information on the number of churches along with details of people involved in religious conversion. Earlier, several TMC leaders, including its Meghalaya Vice President George Lyngdoh, slammed the Assam government for the “divisive move”.