Nagaland Congress condemns visa denial to Rev. Franklin Graham, blames BJP-NPF for “insult to Christian community”

The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) has issued a sharp condemnation of the BJP-led Central Government’s decision to deny an entry visa to Rev. Franklin Graham, calling it an act of discrimination against the Christian community. 

In a statement on Friday, the NPCC said the refusal to allow the internationally-known evangelist—son of the late Rev. Billy Graham—to visit Nagaland was a direct affront to religious freedom guaranteed by the Constitution. The party said the decision had deeply hurt the sentiments of the Naga people, who had been preparing to receive him with “great anticipation and prayer.”

The NPCC alleged that the visa denial reflects what it described as the “systematic and intolerant policies” of the BJP-RSS establishment towards religious minorities. It argued that the cancellation amounted to an assault on the Christian identity of the Nagas, calling it “arbitrary” and “insulting” to the community’s faith.

The Congress also blamed the Naga People’s Front (NPF), a coalition partner of the BJP at both the Centre and the state, accusing the party of inaction and political subservience. 

The NPCC said that despite being part of the ruling alliance, the NPF failed to intervene or even raise concern over the visa issue. Its silence, the statement said, exposed its “political opportunism” and willingness to compromise the sentiments of the Naga people for political convenience.

Extending criticism to the BJP legislators in Nagaland, the NPCC said the MLAs had forfeited their moral authority to represent the people. The party asserted that the legislators failed to prevail upon their own government to reconsider the visa cancellation, thereby aligning themselves with what it called an “anti-minority agenda.” The NPCC demanded that the BJP MLAs resign on moral grounds, stating that their continued presence in the Assembly would be “an insult to every citizen of Nagaland.”

Calling both the NPF and BJP MLAs “puppets,” the NPCC said they had failed to defend the rights and faith of their constituents. The party also sought a clear and transparent explanation from the Centre regarding the reasons behind the visa denial. It appealed to the people of Nagaland to “see through the hypocrisy” of the ruling alliance and reiterated its commitment to defending secularism and the rights of all religious communities in India.