Good Governance Day: National Council for Churches in India seeks PM Narendra Modi's intervention

National Council for Churches in India (NCCI) today urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure security of all religious minorities, while it expressed concerns over reconversion programmes of some right wing outfits and government's plan to observe Good Governance Day on Christmas.

In a letter to the Prime Minister today, NCCI said, "Your government has been telling the people that good days are going to come. However, we are alarmed at the way the good days are sought to be introduced. They appeared to be ushered in at the cost of social, economic and religious minorities and vulnerable sections of the society." 

The letter further said that the Christian community is shocked about all the kind of propaganda being made regarding the celebration of December 25.

"It is asserted that that your government wants to celebrate it as Good Governance Day. The implication of such a celebration is that government offices, educational institutions etc would have to function that day showing scant respect to the holy day of the Christians, Christmas," the letter read.

NCCI said that it was not against observance of Good Governance Day or honouring former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee but maintained that he himself might not like his name to be involved in such controversies.

The letter also said that the community is also "upset" that large scale propaganda by some organisations about their 'ghar wapasi' programme "during which Christian will be enticed or more likely forced, to give up Christian faith and embrace another religion.

"On behalf of NCCI, we strongly urge you to take immediate measures to ensure that minority communities are not subject to attacks by fundamentalist communal groups, and that all religious groups are felicitated in practising, preaching and bearing witness to their faith. Please ensure the security of all minorities," the letter said.