Massive rally planned against conversion in Guwahati
Guwahati: A massive rally is planned at khanapara locality of the city on 12 February by Janajati Dharma-Sanskriti Suraksha Manch (JDSSM) with an aim to raise voices against the religious conversion among the tribals in India. The program called ‘Challo Dispur’ will also insist on removing those Schedule Tribe (ST) individuals, who had undergone a religious conversion, from the list of beneficiaries under various relevant government facilities.
While the protesters will demand both the Centre and concerned State governments to amend Article 342 A of the Constitution (where the matter of benefits to STs is highlighted), the JDSSM is also expected to submit separate memorandums to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing their concern that the relentless religious conversion among the ST families is ruining the tribal people.
“We are not against any religion or anybody getting converted by their own wishes as it is permitted by our Constitution. We are only concerned about protecting our culture, custom, ritual and languages,” said Binud Kumbang, Assam unit coconvener of JDSSM. Speaking to this correspondent, Kumbang also added that many converted ST families gradually change their religious, cultural and other customary traditional practices, but they continue taking benefits meant for ST people.
JDSSM leaders, on various occasions, claim that the ST status is given to them to protect their traditional, cultural and linguistic identities. But a large number of tribal families have adopted foreign religions like Christianity and Islam in recent decades. Maintaining the movement for over 18 years across the country, the JDSSM leaders are clear in mind that the families, who convert into Christianity and Islam, should not enjoy the benefits of reservation and other government endorsed facilities meant for the ST people.
They also claim that those converted individuals should not be allowed to contest in various elections in constituencies reserved for ST candidates. The organisation has also decided to demonstrate in front of the Parliament during March in support of their demands.
