Bhubaneswar, Jan 23 (NationPress) Veteran Congress leader and party's General Secretary (Organisation), K.C. Venugopal, expressed his strong disapproval regarding the alleged assault on a pastor and members of the Christian community in the Parjang region of Odisha's Dhenkanal district on January 4, demanding the swift apprehension of all perpetrators.

In a correspondence addressed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Venugopal claimed that a group of approximately 40 individuals, reportedly associated with Bajrang Dal, encircled the residence where the pastor was leading regular Sunday prayers alongside his wife, children, and seven Christian families.

The seasoned Congress leader further asserted that the pastor was apprehended and brutally beaten; his face was coated with sindoor, a garland of sandals was draped around his neck, and he was publicly paraded.

"The pastor was subsequently bound in front of a local temple, coerced to consume cow dung, forced to chant 'Jai Shri Ram', and made to drink water from a sewer," Venugopal remarked.

"This incident transcends mere assault; it constitutes a humiliating public lynching and an act of coercive religious persecution, aimed at degrading a citizen's dignity and faith. Seven Christian families have been compelled to abandon their homes out of fear. Such behaviors are unacceptable in a civilized society. Alarmingly, no stringent measures have been enacted against the offenders, despite the mob’s size and the severity of their actions," the veteran Congress figure added.

He emphasized that vigilantism and mob justice must not be tolerated, particularly against religious minorities based on unverified claims of 'forced conversion'.

Venugopal pointed out that similar acts of violence against minorities have been recorded across various regions of Odisha recently.

Challenging the Odisha government, Venugopal asserted that the state must uphold the rule of law and protect every citizen, regardless of their faith, arguing that its ongoing silence on such matters only encourages wrongdoers to act without fear.

"Thus, I vehemently denounce this inaction and urge you to ensure the immediate arrest and prosecution of all those involved in the mob assault under severe charges; to initiate an independent, timely investigation into this incident and the broader trend of such attacks; and to provide immediate safety and rehabilitation for Pastor Bipin Bihari Naik, his family, and the seven displaced Christian families," he concluded.