Nagaland Church asks Chhattisgarh CM to Protect Christians

Amidst rising tensions, the NBCC calls for immediate intervention from Chhattisgarh’s leadership, quoting deeply disturbing passages from alleged hate speech and urging protection for vulnerable communities

BY PC Bureau

In a strongly worded open letter, the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) has called upon Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai to intervene urgently in response to alleged hate speech that has placed Christian communities in three villages under imminent threat. The letter, penned by NBCC General Secretary Rev. Dr. Zelhou Keyho, details grave concerns regarding inflammatory rhetoric and calls for immediate action to ensure the safety of the affected residents.

The core of the NBCC’s alarm stems from a speech reportedly delivered by Aadesh Soni at a “Religious Parliament,” in which he is said to have issued explicit threats against the Christian populations of Bishrampur, Ganeshpur, and Jilankpur villages, with a focus on actions planned for March 1, 2025. The NBCC’s letter emphasizes the deeply disturbing nature of the alleged statements.

Atrocities and hate speech against the #Christian minority community is on the rise again mainly in @BJP4India ruled-states.

Here, is an open letter to @vishnudsai, #Chattisgarh CM from #Nagaland. @bhupeshbaghel @DeepakBaijINC @Jairam_Ramesh @IRF_Ambassador @mathewmantony pic.twitter.com/Y0RyGeBk20

— KAPTHANG KUKI (@KapthangHaokip) February 21, 2025

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“Our hearts are pained, and we are in grief after hearing in detail how meticulously the hate speech was constructed,” Rev. Dr. Zelhou Keyho wrote. “Fear and insecurity, at the same time, unbelievable emotion caught us all! The speech was made worse when mention was made of how mothers and children should be treated and dealt with.”

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The letter goes on to include these direct quotes from the letter.

“It made us to ponder if there is any human emotion and sense in the heart of the speaker; we believe such speech would not have been uttered. Nevertheless, hatred and animosity towards humankind, especially mothers and children, have overtaken him to even have the courage to utter such words.”
“They are our mothers and our children; they are our sisters and brothers. It is unthinkable that any human being would have the audacity to choose to hate his/her fellow brethren in the name of religion.”
“Mr. Soni has listed you and the authority functioning under you as his collaborators. You must have seen the picture that has gone viral. He has gained the courage to utter such an unthinkable utterance with a specific target. If such a claim is true, Hon’ble Sir, may we take the courage to admonish you, you are on the wrong side as a leader of your beautiful state.”
“Sir, we implore you to calm the situation because you have the power in your hand to stop! We can hear the heartbeat; we can visualize the tears falling in the eyes of the mothers and hear the cry of the children from a distant land.”ALSO READ:

The NBCC’s appeal demands that Chief Minister Sai:

Publicly condemn the hate speech.
Ensure the immediate safety and security of the threatened communities.
Pursue legal action against Aadesh Soni and any other individuals involved in inciting violence.
Facilitate dialogue with community leaders to address the root causes of the tension.

The letter stresses India’s commitment to secularism and religious freedom, urging the Chief Minister to uphold these values. “In the name of God Almighty and in the spirit of brotherhood, regardless of the distance, I, on behalf of the Christians representing the Nagaland Baptist Churches in Nagaland State, implore you to become the guardian of your people and grant safety and security by exercising and upholding the values of secularism and equal protection to all, regardless of the religious affliction, caste, and creed,” Rev. Dr. Keyho stated.

This intervention by the NBCC highlights growing concerns regarding the safety of religious minorities in India and places significant pressure on the Chhattisgarh government to take decisive action.