Trinamool Breaches Major Red Line By Seeking The Vatican’s Intervention In India’s Internal Affairs

The Trinamool Congress has sought the Vatican's intervention to stop “state-sponsored persecution of Christians” in Assam.

Trinamool’s controversial spokesperson, Saket Gokhale, who has often been accused of sharing fake news, wrote to the Vatican envoy in New Delhi, Leopoldo Girelli, seeking the Pope’s intervention.

Gokhale’s allegation about the "persecution of Christians" is based on a letter written by an officer of Assam Police’s Special Branch asking for a count of all the churches in the state as well as the number of conversions to Christianity in the past one year.

The letter to the state's various districts was written a few days before Christmas. But as soon as it came to the notice of Himanta Biswa Sarma, Assam's Chief Minister asked the police to withdraw the letter.

Sarma categorically said that carrying out a census of the churches in the state was not his government’s policy. He asked the state police chief to find out how the letter was written unilaterally by a police officer and take immediate corrective measures.

Sarma told a TV channel: "I think we should not ask for such kind of information, like how many churches are there in Assam. This might hurt the sentiment of a particular religious community. We should avoid this kind of thing."

The Chief Minister added: "I completely disassociate myself from the letter as it was never discussed in any government forum. The letter is wholly unwarranted and as a citizen of Assam, we want to live in peace and harmony with all the communities."

He also said that if the government wanted to carry out such a survey, the letter would have been written by the state home department or the Director General of Police (DGP).

The Assam Chief Minister issued his clarification on 24 December.

But the Trinamool, in an obvious bid to endear itself to the Christians of Meghalaya, where it is making a desperate bid for power, disregarded Sarma’s clarification that the letter did not have his government’s sanction.

Gokhale, who was arrested for the third time by Gujarat Police last week for allegedly misusing funds he had collected through crowd-funding, wrote to the Vatican envoy:

"Through this representation, we wish to apprise you of this extremely serious issue in the state of Assam with an appeal to notify His Holiness Pontifex Maximus as well as the Holy See regarding this state-sponsored persecution of Christians and to take up the issue at the relevant diplomatic forums with the Government of India as you may deem fit."

This letter, seeking the Vatican’s intervention in what is an internal issue, further alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in Assam "has now institutionalized the persecution and targeting of Christians and churches in the state."

Gokhale also wrote that the right to profess, propagate, and practise one’s faith is a fundamental right guaranteed under Article 25 of the Constitution of India.

"Moreover, international law and the Geneva Convention recognize the right to freely practice religion and faith of one’s choice as a fundamental human right," he wrote in his appeal to the Vatican envoy.

What is dangerous is that Saket’s fake allegations can become fodder for anti-India forces and can be quoted to boost the motivated campaign about religious freedom in India.

The fact that the Trinamool did not dissociate itself from Gokhale’s letter despite the false premise it was based on, suggests that the party endorses the letter.

It also proves that the Trinamool will, for its petty political goals, readily sacrifice the nation’s interests and embarrass the country.