Recent reports about a call for a "church-free Odisha" naturally cause concern. But as Christians, we must respond not with fear or anger, but with truth, calmness, courage and faith. At such a moment, prudence and a deep commitment to peace are especially important.

A media report about a programme held in Bhubaneswar on July 28, 2026 referred to a call for a "church-free Odisha." The programme was organised by the Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati Smruti Nyas. It was attended by Odisha Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi, RSS Sarkaryavah Shri Dattatreya Hosabale and Shri Dharmendra Pradhan. The Chief Minister announced that the Government Medical College and Hospital in Phulbani would be named after Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and that ?13 crore would be provided to preserve and develop Jalespata Ashram and its educational and residential facilities.

Shri Dattatreya Hosabale spoke about carrying forward Swamiji's ideals, while Shri Dharmendra Pradhan paid tribute to his contribution to education, tribal welfare and social service. However, the reports available to us do not clearly establish which individual speaker made the specific call for a "church-free Odisha." We should therefore be careful not to attribute the statement to any individual without clear evidence.

This is not merely a matter of wording. Truthfulness and fairness are essential to our Christian witness. We must neither exaggerate what has been said nor ignore language that may create fear, insecurity or division among communities. At the same time, the issue itself deserves serious attention.

Christians are citizens of Odisha. Christians are an integral part of Odisha. We love this land, we belong to this society, and we have contributed to its education, healthcare, social development and service of the poor and vulnerable. For generations, Christian communities and institutions have served people irrespective of religion, caste, tribe or social background.
We also recognise, with respect, the contributions of other religious and social communities to the life and development of Odisha. Our concern is not to claim a privileged place for Christians, but to affirm the equal dignity and freedom of every citizen.

The Constitution of India guarantees equality before the law and equal protection of the laws under Article 14 and prohibits discrimination on specified grounds under Article 15. Article 25 guarantees freedom of conscience and the right to freely profess, practice, and propagate religion, subject to the constitutional limitations contained therein. Article 26 provides religious denominations with certain rights regarding their religious affairs, while Article 29 protects the right of citizens to conserve their distinct language, script or culture. These constitutional provisions affirm the equal dignity, freedom and rights of all citizens and communities. We must respect these rights not only for ourselves but equally for every other religious and cultural community.

Therefore, what should be our response? Not fear, but faith. Not anger, but courage. Not hatred, but love. Not confrontation, but dialogue. Not division, but reconciliation. Not retaliation, but service. The Church does not exist to compete with anyone. The Church exists to serve. She bears witness to Christ through love, compassion, truth and service. Our strongest defence is not a loud voice but a faithful life; not confrontation but Christian witness; not isolation but humble service. Our credibility will ultimately be measured not by the strength of our reaction, but by the integrity of our witness and our steadfast commitment to truth, justice, peace and human dignity.

This is especially important in Kandhamal, a land that has suffered deeply from violence and division. We must not carry the wounds of the past as seeds of future division. We must become builders of healing, reconciliation and fraternity. We must build bridges where there is division, restore trust where there is suspicion, and create fraternity where fear and misunderstanding have taken root.

Jesus gives us the direction clearly: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." (Matthew 5:9). To be peacemakers does not mean remaining silent in the face of injustice. It means standing firmly for truth and human dignity while refusing hatred, retaliation and violence. Our Christian response must combine courage with compassion, justice with reconciliation, and respect for constitutional values with Christian witness.

Therefore, as Church leaders, let us give our people a clear direction: Be firm in faith. Be calm in spirit. Be courageous in witness. Be generous in service. Be prudent in speech. Be steadfast in peace. Let our priests, religious and lay faithful remain close to the people, especially the poor, vulnerable and marginalised. Let our educational, healthcare and social-service institutions continue their mission with transparency, dedication and openness to all.

Let every Christian become an ambassador of peace and reconciliation, in the family, parish, institution, village and neighbourhood. We are for Christ. We are for truth. We are for peace. We are for justice. We are for human dignity. We are for reconciliation. We are for fraternity. We desire an Odisha where every person, whatever his or her faith, can live with freedom, dignity and mutual respect; where constitutional freedoms are respected; where differences are addressed through dialogue rather than hostility; and where the dignity of every human person remains at the centre of our common life.

And whatever challenges may come, we shall not be afraid. We shall remain faithful to Christ. We shall continue to serve. We shall continue to speak the truth with love. We shall continue to work for peace and reconciliation. Let us pray for Odisha, for its leaders, for all its people and for every religious community. May wisdom prevail over prejudice, dialogue over division, reconciliation over hostility, and peace over conflict. Christ is our hope. Christ is our peace. And, whatever the circumstances, we shall continue to serve Odisha by serving her people, and we shall remain faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.