A proposal to hold a Christian prayer service at the inauguration of a university in a northeast Indian state has been criticized by political leaders and civil society. Church leaders in Meghalaya, where Christians form a majority, advised caution and suggested upholding the nation’s secular tradition. The plan to “consecrate the Captain Williamson Sangma State University on January 13 by following Christian rituals” was announced by the state’s Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma recently, the New Indian Express newspaper reported on Jan. 5. The university, named after the state’s first chief minister, focuses on tribal studies and indigenous language preservation. “Ours is a Christian state. We want to consecrate the first state university with a massive prayer meet. If parliament can be blessed with Hindu rituals, why not Christian rituals in a Christian state?” Sangma reportedly said. The new building of the Indian parliament was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May 2023 by invoking Hindu gods. However, critics of Sangma’s proposal pointed out that a multi-religious prayer was also held at the new Indian parliament. Thma U Rangli-Juki, a non-government organization (NGO) in Meghalaya, said Sangma’s statement goes against the constitutional values of secularism. “Meghalaya may be a state where [a] majority of its population practices various forms of Christianity but that in itself does not make it a Christian state,” the NGO said in a statement. The state is home to people of several faiths and “the minister’s ignorant statement blatantly creates discriminatory conditions for the state’s other religions,” it said. The NGO demanded that the planned prayer service be cancelled immediately.