GUWAHATI — The Assam Christian Forum (ACF) on Saturday thanked Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the police, and Nalbari district officials for arresting four people involved in vandalism during Christmas Eve celebrations. On December 24, members linked to Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal reportedly disrupted festivities and damaged decorations at St. Mary’s English School in Nalbari, about 65 km from Guwahati. The ACF said the incident caused fear among minority communities in Assam. Spokesperson Allen Brooks said, “The Christian community across Assam welcomes this decisive step toward upholding the rule of law and protecting the fundamental right to religious expression, while urging that the remaining culprits also be arrested at the earliest.” However, the Forum condemned BJP Assam president and Lok Sabha MP Dilip Saikia’s comments that appeared to justify the act by alleging “constant provocation” by Christians and raising unproven claims of religious conversions. The ACF’s statement said, “Such statements, implying that the desecration of sacred preparations and religious artefacts was a response to perceived grievances, not only undermine the gravity of the crime but also risk inflaming communal tensions at a time when unity is paramount.” The forum referred to Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution, which guarantee freedom of religion. They rejected any narrative that paints minority groups as provocateurs or excuses violence in the name of cultural protection. “Conversions, where they occur, are matters of individual conscience and lawful choice, not instruments of social discord. We urge political leaders to refrain from rhetoric that deepens divisions and instead promote dialogue and mutual respect,” the statement added.