West Bengal Christian Group Condemns Hate Campaign Targeting Christians

West Bengal Christian Group Condemns Hate Campaign Targeting Christians KOLKATA, INDIA — A Christian community organization in West Bengal has condemned what it describes as an attempt to create hostility toward Christians following the circulation of a controversial poster in the historic town of Santipur. The Bangiya Khristiya Parisheba (BCP), a Christian organization in the state, criticized the poster and said that using Christianity to insult another religion goes against the basic principles of Christian faith. The poster, which circulated widely online, contained an offensive statement about Hindu beliefs and ended with a call to embrace Christianity. The BCP described the material as provocative and said that promoting Christianity by insulting another religion should not be accepted by Christians. The organization also questioned why the poster appeared in Santipur, an area where relatively few Christian families live. According to the BCP, similar material was not reported in nearby Krishnanagar, where the Christian population is comparatively larger. The group said the circumstances surrounding the poster raised concerns about a possible attempt to create tension between religious communities. A local resident, Bela Dhara, whose telephone number was displayed on the poster, denied any connection with the material. She said that neither she nor her family are Christians and that they had no involvement in producing or distributing the poster. Dhara reportedly informed police about the matter. She also emphasized that individual respect for Jesus or Christianity should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of conversion or religious affiliation. Despite her clarification, the BCP said that some people were using the incident to make accusations against the wider Christian community. The organization expressed concern that television reports and social media posts could further spread hostility. The BCP's legal cell contacted Santipur Police Station regarding the incident. Police reportedly said that an investigation was underway. The Christian organization has called for a prompt investigation to establish who produced and distributed the poster. It argued that identifying those responsible is important to prevent further communal tension. Herod Mullick, founder, state secretary and spokesperson of the BCP, called for the immediate arrest of those responsible for the material and demanded appropriate legal action against anyone attempting to provoke communal hatred. The organization warned that if authorities do not act quickly, it may consider further legal measures. The controversy has highlighted the importance of responsible religious expression in a diverse society. Christian leaders have emphasized that the promotion of Christianity should be based on respect, dialogue and the teachings of Jesus rather than attacks on other faiths. The incident also demonstrates how controversial material circulated online can quickly affect relations between religious communities. Authorities and community leaders therefore face the challenge of identifying those responsible while preventing the incident from being used to spread wider hostility. The BCP has urged the authorities to complete the investigation and take appropriate action while calling for peace and respect among different religious communities in West Bengal.