Meghalaya CM writes to Odisha counterpart over pastor assault incident

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has written to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Majhi expressing concern over reports of a pastor being allegedly assaulted and publicly humiliated by a mob in Odisha earlier this month.
In his letter, Sangma emphasised that India’s strength lies in its constitutional values, where faith remains a matter of individual conscience and disputes must be addressed strictly through lawful means.
He said incidents of mob violence in a state known for its peaceful social fabric were deeply distressing for citizens across the country, particularly for members of the Christian community who value dignity and self-respect.
“Mob violence cannot be allowed to replace the rule of law. Targeting individuals on the basis of faith corrodes the plural social fabric that is essential to our constitutional order,” Sangma wrote.
The chief minister further cautioned that acts of extremism cannot be allowed to substitute due process, as such actions risk creating fear and mistrust among communities. Expressing confidence in the Odisha government’s leadership, he said he trusted that justice would be upheld and the rule of law maintained.
The letter follows an incident in Odisha’s Dhenkanal district on January 4, where a pastor was allegedly assaulted, paraded with a garland of shoes and forced to eat cow dung on suspicion of religious conversion.