ES Reporter 

ITANAGAR, Aug 19: Hundreds of Christian believers belonging to various denominations participated in the mass rally organized by the Arunachal Christian Forum demanding right to construct church at Tawang.
Speaking to the media, President ACF Toko Teki said that the Forum hopes that the government will take steps to resolve the issue soon.  "We are not encroaching any private land, so the government should consider its decision and allow the Christian believers to construct the church," he said while terming the report of the three-member committee as "one-sided".
N Sonam, the Vice President said that the ACF is not against the Buddhist or Monpa community but is only demanding what is their right. "Some section of people are trying to paint this event as a religious fight between Christians and  Buddhists, which is totally misleading," he said.
The ACF vice president also slammed both the Members of Parliament  (East & West) for being mute on the issue. "Moreover, we have tried to meet the Chief Minister many a time but till date our request hasn't materialized.  If such attitude towards the Christian community continues, then day is not far when the state will see unrest," he said.

While quoting the Fact Finding report, Khyoda Apik who is the Chief Advisor and Former President of ACF said that, the Committee has cited a Supreme Court order, to obstruct the construction of the church at Tawang. But, the Supreme Court has clearly cited that any place of worship which are in public premises should be shifted, but  the Tawang church is not on public premises, he said.
 "If, the Committee wants to obstruct the church then it should implement the Supreme Court rule equally and shift all the temples, gompas, mosques, and gurudwara situated in public places," Apik said.
We have allowed the Buddhist community to construct  gompa on Nyishi land (Capital Region)  whereas we don’t have  Buddhist believers,  then why do people have objections when Christians want to build a church in Tawang, he further added.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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