Church construction row ends in Meghalaya

SHILLONG, April 20 ? The dispute over the construction of a church by the Mizoram Salvation Army has ended amicably with the Rangbah Shong (headman) of Madanriting village agreeing to allow the construction, reports PTI. The agreement was reached after a marathon meeting between Pastor Rev Lalrinpuia and the Rangbah Shong, Edmun Syiem on Friday. They sorted out problems relating to the damage to the walls by a group of youths in the presence of officer-in-charge of Madanriting police station, police said here on Saturday. The youths who had charged the church authorities with carrying on construction work without the permission of local Dorbar Shnong (village committee), had dismantled walls on Wednesday. The Rongbah Shnong assured that permission would be given for construction of the church walls and promised that in future such incidents would not be repeated. The demolition had also evoked strong protest from the Mizoram Government which urged communal harmony following the incident. According to the Salvation Army authorities, the church had acquired the plot for construction of church in 1995 from a Mizo woman. The organisation then applied to the local authorities, besides the Dorbar Shnong, to allow them construct a church on the plot. However, there was no formal response.