Shillong: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma has expressed concern over reports of a pastor being allegedly assaulted and publicly humiliated by a mob earlier this month in Odisha.
The incident in question occurred on January 4 in Dhenkanal district, where a pastor was reportedly assaulted, paraded with a garland of shoes, and forced to eat cow dung over suspicions of religious conversion.
In a letter to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Majhi, Sangma emphasized that India’s strength lies in its constitutional values, where faith is a matter of personal conscience and disputes must be resolved through lawful channels.
He described incidents of mob violence in a peaceful state like Odisha as deeply distressing, particularly for the Christian community, whose members value living with dignity and self-respect.
“Mob violence cannot be allowed to replace the rule of law. Targeting individuals for their faith undermines the plural social fabric that is central to our constitutional order,” Sangma wrote. He added that acts of extremism must not take the place of due process, as they can instill fear and mistrust among communities.
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“I trust your leadership will ensure that Odisha continues to uphold justice and the rule of law,” he stated.
