Following backlash in Meghalaya, BJP leader Sunil Deodhar expressed regret for remarks made at the Indigenous Faith Conference on February 16, stating he did not intend to hurt sentiments within the Christian community. In a letter to BJP state general secretary Wankitbok Pohshna, he emphasized his respect for Jesus Christ and clarified that his comments were contextual, not an indictment of Christianity. He highlighted his organization’s efforts to support Christian youth and affirmed his concern for indigenous faith followers, arguing that advocacy for these communities shouldn’t be misconstrued as anti-religious.
The National People’s Party condemned Deodhar’s statements as divisive and called for accountability, reflecting on Meghalaya’s tradition of tolerance. Protests by the Hynniewtrep Youth Council included burning an effigy of Deodhar, with leaders demanding a public apology while criticizing his remarks as politically charged and divisive. The Nationalist Congress Party’s Meghalaya unit filed an FIR against Deodhar, alleging his comments were inflammatory and aimed at inciting communal discord, particularly regarding claims about church practices and the treatment of indigenous faith followers. They described his statements as vague and baseless, calling for legal action to ensure communal harmony is maintained.