A CORRESPONDENT
ITANAGAR: The Arunachal Christian Forum (ACF) took out a statewide protest rally condemning the recommendation submitted by the three-member committee on the contentious Tawang Church issue, claiming that the report is biased and is not justified to the Christian community of the state.
While the rally was witnessed in every district organized by the respective district Christian forum, thousands of Christian led by ACF joined the rally in the state capital from Akashdeep and passed through the state civil secretariat and gathered at the Tennis court near here on Saturday.
Except for Tawang and Anjaw districts, the state-wide protest was held in the rest of the districts. ACF denied the recommendation of relocating the present Church and demanded that the state government grant land allotment to build the Church in the same place.
Speaking to the reporters, ACF president Toko Teki said that the recommendation of the committee to relocate the present church will create problems for the community, that too within six months of time frame. He said, moreover, there is no proper land in Tawang where the Church can be relocated.
Teki said that the forum is always open for a discussion on the matter. However, the ACF members have never been called for it despite the submission of repeated letters to the state government.
"There is no motive of the ACF in igniting religious politics in the state. However, the Chief Minister, who is also the local MLA from the district, is neglecting the issue. The matter can be swiftly solved by the CM if he wants," he said, adding that this is the reason why the forum is distressed over his silence.
The ACF is also sad over the non-reaction on the matter by Tapir Gao and Kiren Rijiju who are two members of Parliament of the state.
Meanwhile, ACF Vice President Norbu Sonam said that if the state government fails to address the matter despite the protest, the ACF will discuss the next stage of protest, which will be democratic.
He said that the church has been existing in the district for the past two decades. There is no objection by the district administration over the existing church but is on the construction of a new church nearby.
"We want the state government to grant land allotment for the same. The Christian community has never opposed the construction of any religious temples in any district, then why are we denied the construction of the Church in Tawang," he questioned while referring to the Gompa, Mosque and Hindu temple built in Itanagar.
He also said that the three-member committee report which was supposed to be submitted within six months and was delayed over two years is the main reason for such delay in resolving the matter.
"We want the Tawang Church issue to be solved amicably by a discussion with the locals of Tawang and the Christian community as done in the case of Ayodhya temple and Babri Masjid," he said, adding that the three-member committee neglected this part.
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