Nearly a month after 10 European tourists were deported from Assam to their respective countries on charges of engaging in missionary work, a major Christian organization in the Northeast on Friday expressed concern over “false allegations” of conversions.
Terming it as an attempt to defame the community, the United Christian Forum of North East India (NEI) said it has made efforts in the areas of education, health and social development for all sections of the society, irrespective of caste, creed and ethnicity. Has provided services.
Ellen Brooks, a spokeswoman for the United Christian Forum, NEI, said in a release that “we are deeply concerned by reports of conversions.”
Council of Baptist Church in North East India, Church of North India, Presbyterian Church of India, North East Christian Council (all Protestant Churches), Evangelical Fellowship of India (Pentecostal Church) and Regional Catholic Bishops’ Conference of North East India (North East India Christian leaders representing all churches in the region, including the Catholic Church, met here on Thursday to discuss the issue.
Brooks said, “We have firstly condemned any kind of forced conversion, but at the same time we also affirm the right of every citizen to choose any religion of his choice, which is guaranteed by Articles 25-28 of the Constitution. given under
He said, “It is not right to make allegations of conversion by force, deception or greed with the intention of defaming our community. We feel that such allegations are leveled with a deliberate intention to divide our society.
Many right-wing organizations have often accused Christian missionaries of forcibly or luring poor tribals to convert to Islam.
Recently ten Europeans were deported from Assam to their respective countries because they were allegedly engaged in missionary activities. Three of them were from Sweden and seven from Germany.
According to officials, they did not have the required M1 visa but had entered the country on a tourist visa.
Many states have anti-conversion laws but there is no such law in Assam.