A gathering of various Christian denominations prayed for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah on Wednesday while pleading for peace to be restored in the country following protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.

Organised by The Move, a group of Christian youths, members from several denominations came together on Wednesday at Students’ Field, Jaiaw to bow their heads in prayer.

Those who led the gathering quoted from scriptures as they invoked God’s blessings upon the country that has witnessed protests in several states against the act.

“Amid the happenings across the region and the country, we feel that it is important to gather as one and pray. Today, members from different denominations have come together to offer prayers to the Almighty. We all want peace and harmony to be restored,” Rev. Bidonbok Syiem from the Presbyterian Church said.

He added it is the duty of the believers to pray for the land and its leaders so that the people can lead a peaceful life.

“We prayed for the chief minister, his cabinet members, and legislators because we feel that they need God’s wisdom to lead them in taking decisions. We also prayed for the Prime Minister, the Union home minister, the Union cabinet ministers and those who are part of the decision-making process so that they too will receive God’s wisdom,” he added.

Rev. Syiem said the enactment of the act had given rise to unrest not only in Meghalaya, but in other parts of the region as well. “We have seen violence and protests happening. To restore peace, we feel we need God’s presence,” he said, while appealing to the people to pray at home too.

One of the leaders in the gathering prayed for instilling “humility” in Modi and Shah while also seeking divine help in bringing about a “change of heart” in both the leaders.

Modi and Shah have been at the receiving end for pushing the amendments to the Citizenship Act, 1955.

Even when protests erupted in different parts of the country, Shah has maintained that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act would not be repealed and that the government was firm like a “rock” in implementing the act.