The Catholic Church of Nagaland is mindful of local contexts and the ecumenical and multifaith realities of contemporary culture in the country. The Catholic Community of Nagaland affirms and believes that every human person, in the form of communities or nations, can live honourably and peacefully. We believe that we are created in the image and likeness of God and thus every human person sharing the same attribute has the same dignity and sanctity. It is against the divine will of our Creator if, in anyway, any fellow human being is discriminated on any ground for such act defiles the divine dignity of God’s presence in every human person. In our Catholic understanding of our Christian faith, there is absolutely no room for oppressing or suppressing fellow human beings or nations in any manner be it political, social, economic, religious, etc. We practice a living faith with a humble and supportive attitude that is open to additional sources of wisdom outside of the Catholic tradition.
The members of the Catholic Church of Nagaland are much disturbed and pained to see the unfolding acts of oppression, de-humanization, discrimination, desecration of religious objects, etc., across country. India has declared in its Preamble to the Constitution to constitute itself a sovereign secular, democratic republic with commitment to secure equality, liberty and fraternity to all its citizens. How can a government allow certain fanatical forces that act against its national commitment and adoption to commit acts of religious intolerance, sacrilege, persecution, and murder of fellow countrymen in the name of a religion? Is the Government not founded on the principles enshrined in the Constitution? Is it not the bounden duty of the government to secure to all its citizens the same constitutional commitment?
The Catholic Association of Nagaland question the very conscience of the Government of Assam for remaining silent and for not defending the constitutional provisions when members of Hindu outfit known as Kutumbha Surakshya Parishad through some people like Satya Ranjan Borah had blatantly and explicitly revealed an act of religious intolerance in Assam and indulged in sacrileges, threats and intimidation, violence and socio-religious crimes.
The Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Bill, 2024, which was passed in the Assam Legislative Assembly on the 26th February 2024, is more implied than apparent and is but a ploy with sinister religious intolerant design for scaling religious injustice in Assam.
The Catholic Association of Nagaland feels the necessity to quote from the Hindu holy Book Rig Veda the verse by which it calls all its believers to live in peace. “O human beings of the Mother Earth give protection to one another from all sides so that all live in peace” ( Rig Veda 6.75.14). Can the teachings of the Vedas be affronted for the sake of temporary political mileage? Upon conscious reflection on the verse from the Rig Veda 6.75.14, the religious intolerance brooding in Assam in recent time is an affront to the teachings of Hindu religion, a criminal conspiracy and a grave threat to peace in the region.
As Catholic Christians, we believe in the goodness of every human being and do not doubt that better sense can prevail upon the political leadership of Assam Government if only the political leadership abide and conform to the teaching of Rig Veda 6.75.14“O human beings of the Mother Earth give protection to one another from all sides so that all live in peace”.
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The Catholic community, under the aegis of the Catholic Association of Nagaland (CAN), is committed to establishing JUST PEACE and has been humbly and is committed in working towards this objective.
We appeal to the Government of Assam to sincerely translate the meaning of JUST PEACE as enshrined in the Constitution of India and as endowed by the virtue of Universal Human Right to all people of Assam.
The Catholic Association of Nagaland appeal to every right-thinking citizen of Assam and North East India, irrespective of political and religious affiliations to uphold the dignity of every human person in understanding of the fact that we are first dignified human beings and that it is JUST RIGHT. We believe that people or Government stand to be all the more dignified and honourable by assuring dignity to its citizens, respect and recognition, the result of which will also ensure a COMMON GOOD for both the people or Government.
We are of the hope that the present-day Government of Assam, under the leadership of Mr. Himanta Biswas Sarma, the Honourable Chief Minister of Assam, will feel and listen to the Pulse, Fears and Hopes of the Citizens of Assam, the threat to the frail peace in the region and build congenial abode of living for all people of Assam and the region.
