Guwahati: A church leader from the 126-year-old Golaghat Baptist Church in Dergaon town of Assam’s Golaghat district has become the first from the state’s Christian community to be sent to jail after being arrested under the newly enacted Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Act.
The legislation, introduced by the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led BJP government in February, had received the Governor’s assent on 14 March. “Evil practices”, according to the Act, means “commission of any act of healing practices and magic healing, by any person, with a sinister motive to exploit common people”.
Pranjal Bhuyan, a resident of Padmapur village, was reportedly arrested for attempting to “convert” the Hindus in the area through “magical healing practices”. The 38-year-old was produced before the chief judicial magistrate on Saturday and has been remanded in 14-day judicial custody.
The police have filed a case against Bhuyan under Sections 316(2), 318(2), 354, and 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) as well as Section 6(a) of the Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Act, 2004.
Under Section 6(a) of the healing legislation, any person who violates the provisions of the Act or its rules may be punished, upon conviction, with imprisonment for up to one year, for a first offence, which can extend to three years, or with a fine of Rs 50,000, or both.
The Assam Christian Forum (ACF), meanwhile, has strongly condemned the “wrongful arrest” of the church member and his humiliating treatment.
ACF spokesperson Allen Brooks told ThePrint that it contravenes constitutional rights, and unfairly targets the Christian community, limiting their freedom of religion.
“The criminalisation of prayer and healing practices essential to various faiths is concerning. The law’s cognizable and non-bailable offenses grant police broad authority to arrest and detain without due process, compromising citizens’ rights,” Brooks said.
On behalf of the organisation, he requested the government to “reconsider the legislation, and respect constitutional rights for all citizens, irrespective of faith”.
Stating that there is no such term in Christianity called ‘magical healing’, Brooks added that the Christian missionaries in Assam had established the first school in 1840. “If conversion was the motive, nearly half of Assam would have been Christians.”
According to church pastor Amit Sangma, Bhuyan had been offering tuition classes to village children at his residence. A few months ago, a meeting was reportedly held in Padmapur village, where it was decided that no one would send their children to Bhuyan’s home for studies. It was alleged that Bhuyan had been preaching the Bible to the children during these sessions.
Earlier in October, the ACF along with the United Christian Forum of Dima Hasao and Karbi Anglong districts submitted a letter to the Dima Hasao Deputy Commissioner on 5 November expressing concerns over the remark made by a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader at the inauguration of a computer learning centre in Haflong, Dima Hasao.
The two organisations accused the VHP leader of making divisive and unfounded accusations against the Christian community in the event, which was meant to honour the memory of freedom fighter Joya Thaosen.
Calling for the VHP leader’s arrest, they also emphasised that the accusations against the church were not only “baseless”, but also have the potential to harm the peaceful coexistence of various communities in the region.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
Also Read: Archbishop, Christian group slam Assam bill against ‘magical healing’ — ‘no such term’
Appropriate step, fooling people in the name of healing.
Kudos to the Assam government. Other governments should take notes on how to deal with these “magic healers”.