Three Christian organisations on Tuesday submitted a joint representation to the the Dima Hasao district administration seeking lawful action against VHP leader Surendra Jain for his “unfounded” allegation about the Church’s involvement in the “drug business”.

The organisations did not specify Jain’s allegation, but a Church leader told The Telegraph that they submitted the representation to “express their deep shock, pain and disappointment” over Jain’s attempt to “malign” the Christian community during the launch of the Joya Thaosen Computer Learning Centre in Haflong on October 27.

Jain had purportedly said: “Today I realized that the drug business is also done on a large scale by the Church. On one hand, the church is destroying our culture, insulting the traditions, beliefs here and also destroying the life of the people here.”

“Conversion is a challenge, we do answer it but we will also tell the church. You keep going to the church, the Christians here should follow their faith, we have no objection. But if you disturb the law and order here, hurt the beliefs here, do drug trade, this will not be accepted and the society takes it as a challenge,” Jain had said while referring to the Church’s alleged contribution to the “drug business” in the district.

In its representation to the Dima Hasao deputy commissioner, the United Christian Forum of Dima Hasao, the United Christian Forum of Karbi Anglong and the Assam Christian Forum, stated that Jain used the “auspicious occasion” meant for honouring the memory of Joya Thaosen, a revered freedom fighter “respected” by all communities, as a platform “to malign and spew venom againstthe Christian community”.

The organisations said that Jain’s “baseless accusations” are “not only harmful but appear to be intentional, with a clear intent of maligning an entire community that has greatly contributed to the region” in sectors “such as education, healthcare, social welfare, literature, media, research, relief and sustainable development”.

Jain’s statements insinuating that the Church is involved in “illegal activities” are “unfounded, baseless and unacceptable” and these “threaten to create mistrust, undermine unity and harm the inclusiveness that is crucial for the peaceful co-existence and progress of the country and Assam”, the representation said.

The organisations then urged the deputy commissioner “to take action against Mr Jain under the law of the land and as per the provision of the Constitution for his demeaning remarks, that have hurt the religious sentiments of the entire Christian community.”