NPP condemns attacks on Christians in Satna

Meghalaya's National People's Party (NPP) on Friday condemned the "vicious attacks" on Catholic priests and seminarians in Madhya Pradesh's Satna district.

In a statement issued here, NPP President Conrad K. Sangma appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to act swiftly and boldly to safeguard the fundamental religious rights of worshippers of all faiths, to ensure security in the face of violence and to guarantee justice for all people.

Sangma, a Catholic himself, said he had also taken up the matter with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of State for Home, Kiren Riiju and sought their intervention to take it up with the Madhya Pradesh government and arrest those persons involved in the attack.

"Any form of violence in the name of religion needs to be stopped immediately through a collective and strong political will by the government, both at (the) central and state levels," he said.

A mob linked to a right-wing Hindu group attacked a carol group and also set a priest's car ablaze on Thursday night. Instead of taking action against the attackers, police detained the Christian singers, a priest told IANS in the Madhya Pradesh town.

--IANS

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