BJP govt. in Assam may disturb communal harmony: Baptist Church Pastor

Azi-Ul Haque, the pastor of Guwahati Baptist Church, has said that communal harmony will be disturbed in the state if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) comes to power.

Justifying his stand, he said that people like Subramanian Swamy, Sadhvi Prachi and Yogi Adityanath are threat for communal harmony, adding there is apprehension among the minority that the land of communal harmony may be disturbed if the BJP forms the government in Assam.

The pastor, however, said the stand of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre has been different.

He said that people, including the minority, voted for the BJP during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls as they were fed up with the Congress-led UPA regime.

The pastor, who is also a writer, said Assam and the North-East as a whole has a history of harmony as far as religion is concern, adding that India and the world should learn from this part of the region.

Assam recorded an impressive voter turnout of 82.21 percent in the recently held assembly polls which witnessed the registration of an FIR against Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi for violation of electoral law.

The Congress, which contested the polls under Gogoi's leadership, is seeking a fourth straight term in power.

The BJP's campaign centred around Sarbananda Sonowal, who was declared the chief ministerial candidate in January.