NE Brief

UCFNEI Refutes Allegations of Force Conversions

Current Updates | NE Brief | NECARF Rep | 04-Dec-2022

In a meeting held in Guwahati on November 24, 2022, the United Christians Forum of North East India (UCFNEI) expressed strong resentment over allegations of Christians forcibly converting people. In a press release issued after the meeting, the organisation said, “We are the first to denounce any sort of ‘force’ conversion. At the same time, we also affirm the right of citizens to choose any religion of his/her choice as provided under Articles 25-28 of the Indian Constitution. We consider very wrong to make false allegations of ‘conversion’ by force, fraud or inducement with the intention of humiliating our community. We feel that such allegations are made with deliberate intention of dividing our society”.

The release further stated that “What we feel embarrassed about most is that the very identity and cultural ethos of North East region and of Assam that are being eroded by the people who seek to take their model from those area of our country, where unfortunately communal violence has found ideological acceptance. North East Society has always been open minded and liberal with eagerness to promote enlightened thinking and refined relationship”. The leaders also expressed their pain over what happened recently in the border incident, where common people have lost their lives. In prayers, they extended solidarity to the family members. They emphasized strongly on ensuring peace, and harmonious relationship between communities, and affirmed that as always, the people of North East shall stand up against any sinister move to dive people.

It may be mentioned that the leaders of UCFNEI met close on the heels of forming “North East Christians Forum” by certain political affiliates, with Dr. Indresh Kumar, who is a long-time RSS Pracharak, an organisation known for holding indifferent views about Christians, as its Chief Patron. The UCFNEI and other Christian bodies of the region had sounded caution to this development as they suspected that the move was probably intended to break Christian unity.

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