Kohima, July 24 : All the Catholic-run schools and institutes in Nagaland remained closed today as a mark of protest against the July 9 demolition of Anatongre Catholic Church in Kiphire district.
Rev. Fr Mathew Thuniampral, secretary of education commission, Diocese of Kohima, said he was pained to know that the Students’ Union of Anatongre and village members who were educated in Catholic schools took part in demolishing the Catholic church.
Village authorities and the students’ union of Anatongre in Kiphire passed a resolution on March 18 stating that there shall be only Baptist Christian denomination in the village.
They warned that Rs 50,000 would be imposed against those who bring in other religion/denomination to the village, their moveable and immovable properties seized and the defaulters expelled from the village.
“It is a positive development that this incident has been brought to the notice of the administration and the general public on how a section of the people of the state is treated,” stated the spokesperson for Diocese for Kohima, Fr R.R. Graviour Augustine.
“Sadly, it is prevalent in many parts of the state and it is a blatant violation of the fundamental right to freedom of religion guaranteed by the Constitution,” he said.
A Catholic church was also dismantled at Kezo town in Kohima district some years ago.
The Nagaland Baptist Church Council, however, termed as “unfortunate” that the Anatongre crisis has been blown out of proportion by people without studying the ground realities and listening to both parties in conflict.
General secretary in charge of the council, Rev. Iringtie Kauring, said the conflict was not between Catholics and Baptists, but between Catholics and the Anatongre village council.
“The village council has considerable authority in solving any problem within its jurisdiction for the welfare of the people. Therefore, the Nagaland Baptist Church Council appeals to all concerned to address the crisis in the right perspective for the sake of peace and harmony in our land,” Rev. Kauring said.
Nagaland is pre-dominantly Baptist Christian and Catholics are a minority though they have scores of schools and institutions across the state.
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