Ravi
New Delhi, Jan 23 (.) Congress leader and Public Accounts Committee Chairperson K C Venugopal has written to Home Minister Amit Shah expressing shock and outrage over the alleged attack on Pastor Bipin Bihari Naik and members of the Christian community in Parjang village of Odisha’s Dhenkanal district.
In his letter, Venugopal described the January 4 incident as “despicable and barbaric,” alleging that a mob of around 40 people, reportedly Bajrang Dal activists, surrounded a house where Pastor Naik was conducting Sunday prayers with his family and seven Christian families.
According to Venugopal, the mob physically assaulted those present and subjected the pastor to “severe humiliation.”
He alleged, “The pastor was detained, beaten, smeared with sindoor, garlanded with sandals, paraded publicly, tied in front of a local temple, forced to eat cow dung, made to chant religious slogans, and compelled to drink sewer water.”
Venugopal said the incident amounted to a “public lynching and forced religious coercion” aimed at stripping a citizen of dignity and faith.
The Congress leader noted that seven Christian families have since fled their homes due to fear and claimed that no strict action has been taken against the accused despite the seriousness of the allegations.
He said such incidents of vigilantism and mob justice, particularly against religious minorities on allegations of forced conversion, have no place in a civilised society.
Venugopal also pointed out that the incident was not isolated and that similar attacks have been reported in different parts of Odisha in recent times.
Citing the Constitution’s guarantee of freedom of religion, he said the government has a duty to uphold the rule of law and protect citizens irrespective of faith, warning that silence on such attacks encourages impunity.
In the letter, Venugopal urged the Centre to direct the Odisha government to immediately arrest and prosecute all those involved under stringent laws, seek a time-bound report on the incident and the alleged failure to prevent it, order an independent and impartial inquiry into the attack and the broader pattern of violence against religious minorities, and ensure protection, relief, and rehabilitation for Pastor Naik, his family, and the displaced Christian families.
. MI SQ .