Political and Church leaders today severely condemned the rape of an elderly nun in West Bengal and the attack on an under-construction church in Haryana, calling it a serious situation as the twin incidents echoed in Parliament.
Members in Rajya Sabha demanded stern action to check growing attacks on minorities, citing instances of rape of the 70-year-old nun at a convent school in West Bengal's Nadia district and destruction of the church in Hisar.
Delhi Archbishop Anil J T Couto called for immediate action by authorities to maintain peace and harmony.
Couto also observed that frequent unwarranted remarks and irresponsible statements by leaders of both religious groups and political parties hurt the sentiments of minorities and created an atmosphere of hate and suspicion towards other faiths and communities.
D Raja (CPI), who had given a notice for suspension of business in the Rajya Sabha to take up a discussion on the matter, said it was a serious situation that minorities were not safe.
"With great pain and agony I raise this issue... There is increase in attacks on Christians in the country. It is very shocking. Right wing extremist forces have become very aggressive.
"Can we safeguard the secular fabric of our nation?.... It is a serious matter and it concerns all the people of the country. I want that the business of the House be suspended and this issue be discussed under Section 267," Raja said.
Agreeing with Raja, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the state governments should take necessary action in such cases and book the culprits.
"... We are against such incidents. Communal harmony should be maintained in the country. No one has any doubt on this. Everyone has the right to practice their religion and all state government where such incidents are happening should take stern steps against the guilty and those responsible for such incidents," Naqvi said.
Raja was supported by Ali Anwar Ansari (JD-U), Tapan Kumar Sen (CPI-M) and Sukhendu Sekhar Roy (TMC).
Later in a Zero Hour mention, Trinamool Congress member Derek O'Brien said the rape the nun was a "shameful act of brutality".
"This is not an issue on which anyone should do politics. The state government has taken some swift action...," he said.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee promised "swift" and "strongest action" against the culprits.
Maintaining that hate campaigns against the Christian community and the Christian faith by fundamentalist and extremist religious organisations in the past preceded large scale violence against the Christians community, Archbishop Couto called for an immediate action by local police and civil authorities to stop such campaigns and maintain social peace and harmony.
"Any form of violence in the name of religion needs to be stopped immediately through a collective and strong political will by the governments, both at central and state levels," he added.
