Bhubaneswar: Veteran Congress leader and party's General Secretary (Organisation), K.C. Venugopal, on Friday, condemned the alleged attack on a pastor and members of the Christian community in the Parjang area of Odisha's Dhenkanal district on January 4, and demanded the immediate arrest of all those involved.

In a letter written to the Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Venugopal alleged that a mob of around 40 persons, reportedly comprising Bajrang Dal activists, surrounded the house where the pastor was conducting regular Sunday prayers along with his wife, children, and seven Christian families.

The veteran Congress leader also claimed that the pastor was detained and severely beaten; his face was smeared with sindoor, a garland of sandals (chappals) was placed around his neck, and he was paraded publicly. 

"The pastor was then tied up in front of a local temple, forced to eat cow dung, made to chant "Jai Shri Ram", and compelled to drink water from a sewer," Venugopal said.

"This was not merely an assault -- it was a humiliating public lynching and an act of forced religious coercion, aimed at stripping a citizen of his dignity and faith. Seven Christian families have since been forced to flee their homes out of fear. Such acts have no place in a civilised society. Shockingly, no strict action has been taken against the accused, despite the size of the mob and the gravity of the crimes," the veteran Congress leader added.

The Cong leader targeted the state govt

He said that vigilantism and mob justice cannot be tolerated, especially when directed against religious minorities on unverified allegations of "forced conversion".

He alleged that similar attacks against minorities have also been reported in various parts of Odisha in recent times. 

Targeting the Odisha government, Venugopal noted that the state government has a responsibility to uphold the rule of law and ensure the safety of every citizen, irrespective of faith, adding that its repeated silence on such incidents only emboldens the perpetrators to act with impunity.

"Therefore, I strongly condemn this inaction and urge you to ensure the immediate arrest and prosecution of all those involved in the mob attack under stringent charges; to conduct an independent, time-bound probe into this incident and the broader pattern of such attacks; and to provide immediate protection and rehabilitation to Pastor Bipin Bihari Naik, his family, and the seven displaced Christian families," he added.