Guwahati: More than 5 lakh tribals under the banner of Janajati Suraksha Manch (JSM), an all-India organisation and Janajati Dharma Sanskriti Suraksha Manch (JDSSM), an Assam-based organisation, will march to the Parliament in support of their demand for delisting tribals who have converted to Christianity from the Schedule Tribe (ST) status that entitles them for reservation in jobs.
“We are taking out this programme in November-end this year. Over 5 lakh members of the JSM and JDSSM will be staging a demonstration under its Chalo Delhi programme, demanding both the Central government to amend Article 342A of the Constitution of India,” said Binud Kumbang, co-ordinator and working president, JDSSM.
Kumbang said that JSM and JDSSM have been working for the rights of ST people of the country for the past 18 years and conducting nationwide massive public rallies to stop unethical conversion, demanding de-listing of converted STs from the ST list.
“Our objectives are to protect the original identities of ST people of India and their original vibrant culture, customs, traditions, language and rituals, prevent unethical conversions and prevent double benefits (ST and minority) taken by many converted STs, which are unconstitutional and immoral too,” he said.
The JDSSM had already organised a mass rally “Chalo Dispur” programme at Veterinary College at Khanapara in Guwahati on March 26, in which more than 60,000 tribals from various parts of the state took part.
“We had also organised mass rallies in 8 state capitals of India, including Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Chattisgarh, Orissa and Gujarat, Assam. We are planning to hold a rally in Rajasthan on June 18. We are in the process of holding rallies in 14 other states,” the tribal leader said.
On June 13, the JDSSM sent memorandums to the President and the Prime Minister through Assam Governor Gulab Chand Katariya demanding legislation in the Parliament for amendment of the Article 342 of the constitution of India.
The RSS-affiliated organisation is pushing a demand first raised by Congress MP Karthik Oraon in the sixties, who had flagged the issue claiming that ST converts were getting a major chunk of reservation benefits. In 1968, a joint parliamentary committee was formed to examine the issue.
“The people who have adopted Christianity are getting double benefits. They put their children in Christian schools taking benefits as a minority but take up scholarships, jobs, and promotions meant for STs,” Kumbang said.
He alleged that these converted STs also take part in democratic exercises by contesting elections to be ministers, MPs, MLAs, and members of autonomous bodies, and taking away the rights of tribals working hard to keep their tradition alive.
“We have already reached out to a cross-section of tribal leaders, including ministers, MPs, MLAs and CEMs of Autonomous Councils to garner support. More than 400 MPs of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are supporting us,” he said.
In Assam also, he claimed that all the heads of tribal Autonomous Councils, and tribal student organisations, including ABSU (All Bodo Students Union), TMPK (Takam Mising Porin Kabang), Karbi Students Union (KSU) and all Dimasa Students Union (ADSU) have extended their support to the demand of the JDSSM.
“We reached out to some Muslim MPs and MLAs of Assam. They also oppose the double benefits taken by the ST converts,” he said.
“Religious conversion is continually posing a great threat to the ST people of the country since pre-independence. The conversion of tribals into Christianity is not a new event, but in the last few decades the conversion rate has increased drastically,” he said.
“In the last few tears, the number of churches is going up in Assam. There were 65 churches in Dhemaji district till last year. But the number has gone up to 174 this year,” he said.
“After Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya, Assam has been the target of missionaries for religious conversion,” he also claimed.
The criteria for defining a community as a tribe are indications of primitive traits, distinctive culture, geographical isolation, shyness of contact with the community at large, and backwardness.
“But the people who convert to Christianity should not be eligible to get the reservation and other benefits given to the STs. Even after getting converted, they are availing both types of benefits,” he said.
Tribals who convert to any other religion should not be given reservation mandated for genuine ST, as per the leader.
“Of 40 lakh tribal population in Assam, 7-10 per cent people adopted Christianity. Many tribal people from Dhemaji, Majuli, Sadiya, Golaghat, Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao adopt Christianity for a number of reasons. The conversion rate is going higher and higher,” he added.
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However, reacting to the issue, the United Christian Forum of North East India (UCFNEI) said ST status is a birth right of the country’s indigenous people and it has nothing to do with religion.
“Article 25 of the constitution of India guarantees the freedom of conscience, the freedom to profess, practice, and propagate religion to all citizens. The freedoms are subject to public order, health, and morality. Therefore, curtailment of ST status only because of the faith is unconstitutional,” said Allen Brooks, spokesperson of UCFNEI.
Also read: Assam: Youth groups raise SC/ST reservation issue with Centre