Kolkata: Bishop Paritosh Canning on Thursday urged both the Centre and the state to protect churches and their properties from being vandalised.Canning, who is also the moderator of the Church of North India and president of the Bengal Christian Council, told reporters, “We urge the govt to take action to ensure this is not repeated.”He also refuted reports of forcible religious conversions. “We want to clarify that a few self-proclaimed bishops have created some confusion and we request people not to be misled by their statements. We are against forced religious conversion. In Christianity, conversion is a long process, if someone wants to do so,” he said, adding they wanted to have a dialogue with the chief minister to discuss various issues related to the development of this state. “We want to be a part of it,” Canning said.Canning, who along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, visited the Cathedral Church of the Redemption in New Delhi on Christmas Day in 2025, said the PM’s visit was “perceived as a reassuring signal to the Christian community. It suggests that the govt and the political leadership of the National Democratic Alliance-led Union govt stood with the Christian community of India”.The bishop issued a statement, where he stated: “We earnestly appeal to both the Government of India and the Government of West Bengal to unequivocally distance themselves from acts of violence and intimidation perpetrated by ill-informed miscreants. We call upon the Government of India and the Government of West Bengal to condemn such attacks on the Christian community in the strongest possible terms and to initiate suo motu and decisive police action against those responsible.” The statement went on to read: “We firmly believe that clear and strong statements, coupled with prompt action from the highest authorities of the Government, will send an unambiguous message within the country. At a time when India seeks to emerge as a strong and responsible global economic power, such actions will also reassure that India stands resolutely by its constitutional values and will not allow any individual or group to act with impunity, regardless of political proximity or alignment.”The statement concluded: “We reaffirm the Christian community’s unwavering commitment to work alongside all citizens in building a strong and united India, resisting any attempt from any quarter to undermine the spirit of the nation, with our Unity in Diversity being the hallmark of our Democracy.”The Bengal Christian Council’s new executive committee was formed on Thursday to lead the outfit for the next two years.
