Chumoukedima, Nagaland, March 8 (HBTV): The Catholic Association of Nagaland has questioned the legitimacy of the Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Bill, 2024, which was passed in the Assam Legislative Assembly on February 26. It is more implied than apparent and is but a ploy with sinister religious intolerant design for scaling religious injustice in Assam, the association stated in a press release issued to the media.                               

The association questioned 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 Catholic Association quoteed 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, the associated stated, the organization believes 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. 

The association appealed 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. 

‘We are of the hope that the present-day government of Assam, under the leadership of Himanta Biswas Sarma, the 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,’ the Catholic association stated.