Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma has urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to grant either Indian citizenship or a 10-year visa to an 80-year-old Catholic priest serving in Nongstoin, West Khasi Hills district.
The request aims to ease the burden on the elderly missionary, who currently faces annual visa renewals while his citizenship application remains pending. Sangma met Shah recently in Delhi and said, “He [Shah] assured me that a 10-year visa will be granted to the priest so that he will no longer need to go through the hassle of yearly renewals.”
Church leaders, including Archbishop Victor Lyngdoh of Shillong, and the priest himself, welcomed the development. “This is a positive move. For legitimate religious and humanitarian workers, extending visas to five or ten years will greatly reduce bureaucratic burdens for both authorities and workers,” Sangma noted.
The missionary has served the Nongstoin area for decades, making significant contributions to the community’s spiritual and social life. Officials confirmed his citizenship application is under review.
Sangma also raised the case of Italian Salesian Fr. Fabio Attard, Rector Major of the Don Bosco Salesians, who is scheduled to visit Meghalaya. The Salesian Sisters had sought the state government assistance to coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs.
“The mission is the only reason the religious are here. I have informed both federal ministries to ensure that no obstacles arise during the visit,” Sangma said.
For decades, the Salesians of Don Bosco and other religious congregations have played a vital role in Meghalaya’s education and social services, particularly in rural and remote areas. Observers view the state government’s intervention as part of a broader effort to support philanthropic and religious organizations that have long contributed to the state’s development.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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