Indian bishops say no need for blasphemy law

(March 1, 2010) Indian bishops holding their plenary assembly disagreed with Meghalaya state government’s reported move to enact an anti-blasphemy law in the state. The Church disagrees with the move as the Indian Penal Code has provisions to punish those who “hurt the religious sentiments of people,” said India’s Catholic bishops who are holding their biennial general body meeting Feb. 24 – March 3 in Guwahati, Assam state. Meghalaya contemplated introducing a law to check blasphemous activities in the wake of Christian outrage last week against a school book picturing Jesus holding a cigarette and a beer can in his hands. Ampareen Lyngdoh, Meghalaya’s education minister said the proposed law “will help the government take action against” people who publish such books. According to the Church news agency Fides, the Indian bishops maintain such a law could be distorted and manipulated by fundamentalist groups, as occurs in some Islamic nations such as Pakistan. The bishops said they are “deeply offended by the blasphemous image of Christ used on school books” in Meghalaya and later on posters in Punjab. They also supported the legal actions both the state governments have taken.