West Bengal nun gangrape issue raised in RS, angers ministers

New Delhi, March 16: The Centre on Monday reiterated that it was dedicated to maintaining social harmony as a Rajya Sabha member raised the issue of a nun's rape in West Bengal and the attack on a Haryana church.

Raising the issue during zero hour, Communist Party of India (CPI) leader D. Raja said the extremists were becoming aggressive in the country.

"With great pain and agony, I raise this issue. A nun was raped in West Bengal and a church was attacked in Haryana. There is an crease in attack on Christian and other communities. It is very shocking," Raja said.

"The right wing extremist forces have become so aggressive and offensive. If secular fabric is demolished what will happen to India," he said as several other MPs joined with the CPI leader.

Maqvi: Our government is committed to unity and harmony of the country

Responding to the concerns of the members, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the government was dedicated to maintain social harmony and state governments should take strong action.

"The issue raised is important. Our government is committed to unity and harmony of the country," Naqvi said. "We are against such incidents that attack religious freedom. State governments should take strong action," he said.

The nun was brutalised by a gang of bandits inside the Convent of Jesus and Mary in Ranaghat, some 80 km from Kolkata, on early Saturday. In another incident, an under construction church was vandalised by miscreants in Haryana's Hisar district.

IANS