Lalduhoma leads the Zoram People’s Movement government in Christian-majority Mizoram. His party is neither allied to the BJP-led NDA nor the Congress-led INDIA bloc.
(X handle)
Following a spate of disruptions in several states by right-wing groups during the Christmas period, Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma has called these incidents “contrary to constitutional values”.
Lalduhoma leads the Zoram People’s Movement government in Christian-majority Mizoram. His party is neither allied to the BJP-led NDA nor the Congress-led INDIA bloc.
“It is distressing to learn of vandalism affecting Christmas celebrations in some places in our country. Such incidents are contrary to the constitutional values of fraternity, secularism and freedom of religion. The central message of Christmas is peace on Earth — a reminder for all of us to live with understanding, tolerance and goodwill,” he wrote in a post on X.
The run-up to Christmas this year saw a series of disruptions in different states such as Assam, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi.
In Assam, Bajrang Dal and VHP members had stormed a diocese school, where Christmas decorations had been put up. Following the incident, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in a social media post that those responsible had been arrested. “We are fully committed to maintaining peace, communal harmony, and ensuring the safety of all institutions and citizens across the state,” he said.
In Chhattisgarh’s capital city of Raipur, Bajrang Dal members blocked roads on Monday in protest against the arrest of seven people from their group in connection with the vandalism inside a mall on Christmas Eve. Magneto Mall in Raipur had been decorated with Christmas-themed installations. This came on a day on which right-wing groups had called a bandh in the state to protest what they alleged were forced conversions taking place in Chhattisgarh.
Sukrita Baruah is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, based in Guwahati. From this strategic hub, she provides comprehensive, ground-level coverage of India's North East, a region characterized by its complex ethnic diversity, geopolitical significance, and unique developmental challenges.
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