NEW DELHI, FEB 17
North-East MPs including from a num-ber of Christian-dominated states like Nagaland will play a "positive role" and prevent the anti-Christian attacks from escalating further, an NDA con-stituent NPF said here today. "The violence and attacks on Christians and churches are not in the interest of national integrity, nor is it good for the country's image," for-mer Nagaland chief minister Neiphio Rio said. The senior NPF leader and lone Lok Sabha member from Nagaland, Mr Rio, who has been three-times chief minister of the state, said he would take up the issue with senior leaders in the NDA government and would also meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi "so thatproper steps can be taken at the highest level". A delegation of MPs from the region belonging to various parties are likely to call on the Prime Min-ister and Union Home Minister Raj-nath Singh soon, NPF sources said.
However, Mr Rio, who is vice- chairman of the North East MPs Forum, sought to give a clean chit to the Prime Minister and NDA gov-ernment on the anti-Christian violence saying the efforts to blame PM "for these attacks is only cheap politics". "The attacks on the churches and Christians are most condemnable...But unfortunately the recent attacks are being politicised and a section is try-ing to blame the Prime Minister. This is unfortunate and should not be resorted to ... this is cheap politics," Mr Rio told reporters here. The former Lok Sabha Speaker Mr P A Sangma is the chairman of the forum and all 38 MPs from the region are members. Mr Rio condemned the continued attack on churches and Christians in various parts of the country and said the issue needs to be "addressed as a matter of national importance". "India is the world's largest demo-cratic country and its secular spirit is appreciated by the international com-munity but there are certain sections that are against the secular founda-tions of the country" he said, slam-ming the hardline Hindutva forces.
Courtesy: Statesman News Service
