In an open letter to the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Vishnu Deo Sai, the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) has expressed deep concern over the impending “Morcha” on March 1, 2025, targeting the Tri-Villages of Bishrampur, Ganeshpur, and Jhanakpur. The letter, signed by NBCC General Secretary Rev Dr Zelhou Keyho, highlighted fears sparked by a hate speech delivered by Aadesh Soni during the “Religious Parliament.”
According to Christian Solidarity International, on January 8, 2025, at Prayagraj, during the Hindu Religious Parliament, Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand called for 1,000 Hindus to come out and “slay those who slay our mother cow. Do not ask for the death penalty of cow slayers. Kill them and ask for the death penalty for yourselves. Do not wait for the law to act.”
In the same “Religious” Parliament, Aadesh Soni from Raipur Chhattisgarh, gave a hate speech that (a) Bishrampur, Ganeshpur & Jhanakpur are Christian villages that eat cows. (b) Since the Police does not stop them, Soni’s group of cow-defenders will take the law in their own hands. (c) A militia of 5,000 will (d) enter these villages on March 1, 2025 to kill, maim & violate Christians, and that (e) the state’s BJP Government will support his militia.
Rev Dr Keyho wrote, “We frankly do not know where these villages are located and for that matter, we do not know the people dwelling in those villages as well. However, our hearts are pained, and we are in grief after hearing in detail how meticulously the hate speech was constructed.”
The letter highlighted the shock felt by the Christian community over the speech, particularly concerning the treatment of mothers and children. “It made us to ponder if there is any human emotion and sense in the heart of the speaker,” he stated, adding, “Hatred and animosity towards humankind, especially mothers and children, have overtaken him to even have the courage to utter such words.”
Addressing the Chief Minister directly, Rev Dr Keyho asserted, “We do not need to know each other to be human. We do not need to know people who are oppressed in order to stand for them.” He further appealed, “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.”
The NBCC’s letter also touched upon India’s democratic values, noting, “Our leaders often proclaim in pride that India respects human rights and accommodates diversities, be it caste, creed, or religion, to garner the beauty of our strength and power.” However, the recent events in Chhattisgarh have, according to the letter, shown that “India has once again failed” in the eyes of the world.
Referring to the broader context of religious intolerance, the letter stated, “The act of terror against religious minorities, especially the Christians, have reached its height with the recent speech of Mr. Soni.” The NBCC urged the Chief Minister to act decisively, saying, “The choice before us now is to redeem ourselves by coming out tough on those who speak and act otherwise, giving hope for the world to conclude.”
In a serious allegation, Rev Dr Keyho pointed out that Soni had “listed you and the authority functioning under you as his collaborators,” and emphasized, “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.”
Appealing to Sai’s leadership, the letter reminded him, “You may not know them all by face or name, but they are your citizens. The eyes of the world are on you because the message has gone viral.” The NBCC called on the Chief Minister to become “the people’s Chief Minister” and to “give them the confidence that as long as you are there, the Christians, the Hindus, the Muslims, the Jains, the Buddhists and others are safe under your leadership.”
The letter pleaded, “We stand with the people of your State, especially the mothers and children who now live in fear counting the days that March 1, 2025, will never come in their lives.” It urged the Chief Minister to “calm the situation because you have the power in your hand to stop!”