Meghalaya: Case against man for chanting 'Siya Ram Jai Jai Ram' in church

Imphal, Dec 27 Meghalaya Police have registered a case after a social activist filed a complaint against a man for allegedly harming the religious sentiments of people by intruding inside a church and chanting 'Siya Ram Jai Jai Ram' the state's in East Khasi Hills district, an official said on Friday.

Social activist Angela Rangad in her complaint to the police said that she came across videos on various social media including Facebook and Instagram by one Akash Sagar, where he is found criminally trespassing the Church of Epiphany, Mawlynnong, East Khasi Hills, and deliberately desecrating the religious sanctity of the church.

A police officer said that a man had entered the Mawlynnong village church on Thursday and chanted a line of the ‘Siya Ram Jai Jai Ram’ devotional song and posted a video on social media.

"The man deliberately and in a premeditated and planned way trespassed into the altar area and shouted non-Christian slogans and mockingly sang non-Christian songs. This act was deliberately and in collusion with two others who appear in the video, done to create communal disharmony, insulting the minority culture and to establish a majoritarian culture of hate in violation of all constitutional rights of religious freedom," Rangad said in her FIR.

She said that this video creates a culture of fear and is liable to create public disorder.

“Moreover, these videos are being shared widely by handles promoting religious majoritarianism and hate,” the social activist said and requested the police to take strong legal action against this person involved in "this criminal act and criminal conspiracy".

Rangad also appealed to the police authority to ask the social media platforms to ban these videos, their creator and the people and groups that are sharing these.

“This person needs to be booked and legal action should ensue to ensure that such criminal acts that threaten the peace do not take place again,” she pointed out.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has also condemned the act and said that legal action in this regard is on.

East Khasi Hills district Superintendent of police Sylvester Nongtynger confirmed the register of the case at Pynursla police station against a person named Akash Sagar and the police are investigating the matter.

BJP's Meghalaya unit also condemned the incident at the Mawlynnong Church, “where an individual could be seen engaging in acts that have the potential to hurt the sentiments of Christians across the state and the country”.

Chief Spokesperson of Meghalaya BJP Mariahom Kharkrang said that such cheap publicity stunts, aimed at furthering one’s personal agendas, only hurt the sensitivities of every right thinking citizen across faiths and can act as a catalyst to inter-religious frictions.

“This must be avoided at all costs, especially in a state that prides itself for religious harmony, a state where people of all creeds wholeheartedly participate in each other’s festivals.

"BJP as a party has always upheld the principles of positive secularism, is fiercely protective about national unity and strongly believes in the equality of all religions," he added.

Kharkrang in a statement said that it is important to note that Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself joins the Church leaders on Christmas eve and leads the nation in celebrating the message of universal love.

Any act of any individual or group, which vitiates the atmosphere of peaceful coexistence, deserves condemnation and appropriate preventive measures must be taken, the statement said.

The BJP requested the police to take necessary legal action against the accused to ensure that such mischievous deeds get their deserved punishment as prescribed by the law.

Such brainless pranks whose sole objective is to spread mala fide content across social media have no place in a civilised society and must be weeded out without delay, the party said.

The President of Central Puja Committee, an influential Hindu organisation in Meghalaya, Naba Bhattacharjee has also condemned the act.

Meghalaya Police have asked hotels, homestays and tour operators to report to the police if they have information about the whereabouts of Akash Sagar.