Venugopal seeks arrests over alleged attack on Christian families in West Bengal
Congress general secretary (organisation) and Public Accounts Committee chairperson K.C. Venugopal has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, demanding firm action over an alleged attack on three Christian families in Paschim Medinipur district.
In the letters, Mr. Venugopal described the incident in Patlapur village as deeply disturbing. According to his account, the three families were assaulted, humiliated and coerced to renounce their faith over three consecutive days, from October 18 to 20, during the Durga Puja festivities.
Citing the First Information Report (FIR), he said a group of persons reportedly associated with the Bajrang Dal entered the homes of these families and demanded that they give up their faith. "When the families refused, they were beaten. One woman was allegedly struck on the head so severely that she lost consciousness. Women were reportedly stripped of their clothing in an attempt to disrobe them, and a 15-year-old girl was allegedly strangled and threatened with abduction and rape," the letter states.
Mr. Venugopal added that, according to the victims, a complaint made to the police on the very first day did not lead to effective action. The FIR naming 13 persons was registered only on October 20, after an advocate intervened on their behalf, he said.
He said India's strength has always rested on the freedom of every citizen to profess, practise and propagate the faith of their choice, as guaranteed under Article 25 of the Constitution.
"Forcing any person, under threat of violence, to perform the rituals of another faith is an assault not only on the victims but on the Constitution itself. Any attempt to tear apart the social and religious fabric of our country must not be tolerated, whoever the perpetrators may be," Mr. Venugopal said.
He urged the Home Minister and the Leader of the Opposition to secure the immediate arrest of all the accused, invoking the strongest applicable provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and to "take firm action against organisations and individuals who incite hatred or coerce people in matters of faith and destroy the peace in the country".
The correspondence is the latest in a series of political exchanges over the treatment of religious minorities in West Bengal. Under the Constitution, the freedom of conscience guaranteed by Article 25 is enforceable against the State and against private interference alike, and both the Union and State governments are duty-bound to protect it.
The details of the incident rest on Mr. Venugopal's account and on the FIR; they have not been independently verified. The accused have not had an opportunity to respond publicly to the allegations, and under Indian law every accused person is presumed innocent until proven guilty. It is not known whether the Paschim Medinipur district police have made any arrests or completed an investigation.
