New Delhi: The All India Catholic Union (AICU) has strongly condemned an alleged mob attack on the Auxilium Salesian Sisters at Barasat in West Bengal, on Sunday (July 12, 2026) and has demanded strict action against the perpetrators.In a statement issued on Tuesday (June 14), the AICU said that the incident is not an isolated event but instead forms part of a disturbing and growing pattern of targeted harassment against Christian institutions and communities across several districts of West Bengal.“A group of nearly sixty individuals, reportedly affiliated with the Hindu Jagarana Manch, stormed the premises of the FMA Sisters and threatened them with violence if they did not immediately demolish a legally approved memorial chapel and cemetery,” AICU spokesman John Dayal said in a statement on Tuesday.“The Salesian Sisters, who have been selflessly serving the poorest girls through education and social welfare for decades, were subjected to abusive language and intimidation. The mob reportedly declared, “Your government is no more, now it is our government,” clearly indicating an attempt to bypass the rule of law through threats and fear,” Dayal added.Dayal said that the AICU views the incidents of targeted harassment of Christian institutions and communities across West Bengal as a direct challenge to the constitutional rights of minorities to practice their faith and manage their own properties.The AICU has demanded that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in West Bengal should immediately provide full security to the Salesian Sisters and their institutions along with ensuring that the legally constructed chapel and cemetery are protected. It also demanded strict legal action against those responsible for the mob attack and called for the issuance of clear instructions from the government to the local administration to prevent such incidents in future.“The right to worship and the right to maintain places of worship are fundamental rights guaranteed by the Indian Constitution. No individual or organisation has the right to threaten nuns or force the demolition of structures built with due permissions,” said Dayal.“We call upon the state authorities to act swiftly and firmly. Silence or inaction will only encourage further attacks on minority communities. The All India Catholic Union stands in complete solidarity with the FMA Salesian Sisters and assures them of our full support in this hour of trial,” he added.The AICU said that it will continue to monitor the situation closely and will not hesitate to approach the higher authorities and courts if the state fails to protect its minority citizens.