Christian missionaries desecrate sanctum of Khasi tribe when ceremony was in progress

(Image for representation purpose only)

In a shocking incident of direct attack on indigenous beliefs by the Christian missionaries, a group belonging to a local Church have vandalized and desecrated the sanctum of a ceremony of the Khasi tribe. The sanctum which is known as Niang Pyrhai was broken and rendered in a mutilated state. This blatant attack on the rituals and beliefs of the Khasi tribe in Meghalaya has shocked the entire region.

The said incident was brought to notice by Phirmi Bodo on Twitter on 29 May, 2019. She also posted a complaint letter to the Officer in-charge at the Sohra police station under whose jurisdiction the incident happened. Tui Khongsit, a resident of the Kongthong in the East Khasi Hills District is the complainant.

As per the complaint the incident occured on 27 May, 2019 at around 4.40 PM. The residents of the Kongthong village were performing their annual religious ceremony at the residence of a local Khasi who follow the indigenous Niam Khasi custom. As the ceremony was in progress, a group of Christian missionaries led by Church elder Sylloklang Majaw barged inside and forbade them from continuing with the rituals. The missionaries deemed the practice of local Khasi customs as work of devil. When the Khasis continued their ceremony, the enraged group of missionaries who came armed with knifes, vandalied the place, broke the entire set-up for the ceremony and punctured the drum and other items that were used in the ceremony. The Khasis had to forcibly stop their ceremony as they could not continue it in a hostile environment and with a broken arrangement.

The Khasi tribe has been granted the status of 'Indigenous Religion' by the Constitution of India. They have a solemn right to follow their faith and perform any rituals as per their beliefs. However, the growth of Christianity in India's North-Eastern states have posed a great challenge to the indigenous tribes in following their faith. While most of the Kashi tribe have been converted to Christianity, there are pockets in all the sister states where indigenous tribe still adhere to their faith amidst great odds. The Christian missionaries who cannot tolerate this have been attacking and threatening them for many decades now. This is the latest incident that has come out in the open.





Copy of the complaint about the incident by Shri. Tui Khongsit

Most unfortunate part of the incident was that as the Niang Pyrhai of the Khasi was being vandalised, the police and the magistrate who arrived at the premises remained mute spectators and allowed the missionaries to go scotfree. However, the complainant has stated that the entire incident has been recorded on video and photographed too and has been provided along with the FIR. A copy of the complaint by Shri. Tui Khongsit has been also sent to the Office of the PMO, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Director General of Police of Meghalaya and Superintendent of Police of East Khasi Hills Dist. in Shillong.

The beautiful state of Meghalaya is in the throes of Christian Missionaries who indulge in conversion by enticement and force. As they did in Nagaland few decades ago, they are now emboldened to attack the faith of the indigenous people. The government of Meghalaya and the Central government have to take cognisance of this incident and take appropriate measures against such missionaries so that it does not repeat again.