GUWAHATI: A Hindu radical group, Sanmilito Sanatan Samaj, has initiated a worrying poster campaign across Assam, targeting Christian missionary schools.
The posters, pasted in various parts of Guwahati, Dibrugarh and Jorhat among other places, deliver an ultimatum to missionaries, demanding the removal of religious iconography and chapels from school premises.
Notably, posters have surfaced outside prominent institutions such as Don Bosco School and St. Mary’s School in Guwahati, as well as Don Bosco High School in Lichubari, Dibrugarh, and Carmel School in Jorhat.
The campaign extends beyond school walls, with posters appearing in public spaces such as Nehru Park and Dighalipukhuri in Guwahati, as well as in towns like Barpeta and Sivasagar.
This drastic measure follows the expiration of a deadline set by the Kutumba Suraksha Parishad, demanding the removal of Jesus Christ and Mother Mary idols, along with priests and nuns wearing regular attire, from missionary schools.
The poster, conveyed in Assamese, issues a final warning against using schools for religious purposes, threatening unspecified consequences if demands are not met.
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“This serves as the ultimate caution against employing the school as a religious venue. Eliminate any depictions of Jesus Christ, Mary, crosses, churches, and similar symbols from the school premises, ceasing any activities deemed anti-national or unconstitutional, or face consequences…” one the posters read.
In response, Allen Brooks, spokesperson for the Assam Christian Forum (ACF), highlighted the inclusive ethos of Christian institutions and their commitment to accommodating individuals of diverse backgrounds.
Notably, in the recent past, criticism against the newly passed Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Bill 2024 in the state has grabbed headlines with Christian organisations in the Northeast voicing their concerns against it.
In a stern rebuke aimed at Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on February 22, the Nagaland Baptist Church Council condemned the Bill, labelling it as a manifestation of “religious bigotry” and “insensitive act”.
