-Subhash Gatade
Can an elected Panchayat deprive a section of its
own people belonging to a minority community its constitutionally granted right
to practise its religion - e.g. organise prayers or engage in religious
propaganda and have sermons ?
Or can it ever deprive them of their mandatory quota
of grain under PDS (public distribution system)?
Anyone conversant with rudimentary understanding of
law would reply in the negative. It appears that in Chattisgarh they do it
differently. In fact, Sirasguda, Kunguda and many other villages in Jagdalpur
and adjoining areas in the state are in the news for similar reasons.
Few days back a team of civil liberty activists
belonging to PUCL had visited the villages and had come back with stories of
intimidation faced by a section of the villagers - mainly belonging to
Christian community - at the hands of Hindutva fanatics. Many amongst them have
even left for Jagdalpur fearing reprisal attacks by them. These tribals are
being pressurised to 'return to Hinduism'.
The local MP from the area - belonging to BJP - had
organised a big 'reconversion' programme (presented as 'gharvapasi') in
Kunguda on 11th October which 'witnessed' 33 tribal families embracing
Hinduism. It is rumoured that the actual figure was low and many of the
'convertees' were Hindus only. The big congregation organised on this occasion
was followed by a procession in the village itself where anti Christian slogans
were raised which further terrorised the people.
A tragedy is that the local media is either silent
over these developments or is presenting one sided versions of the whole
developments there. And as far as the police is concerned it is no better. The
very fact that resolutions of the local Panchayats are being used to deprive
the minority Christians ( all of them tribals) of their basic constitutional
rights does not seem to be their concern. The hapless christian tribals are
even denied grain under PDS Scheme.
Double standards adopted by the district
administration vis-a-vis conversions are for everyone to see. Concerned
citizens are raising a very valid question about the selective application of
the tough anti-conversion law in practice in the state. While the law mandates
that before any conversion the said party should contact the distict
administration , activists are saying it is strictly implemented in case of
Christians and other minorities only while similar attempts by the majority community are going unchecked. It is
as if the state is protector of a particular religion and not its secular
principles.
It need be reminded that it is not for the first
time that these villages are in the news. Few months back reports had appeared
in a section of the press ('The Hindu' Updated: July 5, 2014 23:18 IST) about
developments in these villages. According to it an '[a]ggressive campaign by
the Vishwa Hindu Parishad had led to a ban on the entry of and propaganda by
non-Hindu missionaries, especially Christians, in more than 50 villages of
Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region in the last six months.' Referring to a discussion
with a local VHP leader it had even talked how these Panchayats passed orders
under Section 129 (G) of the Chhattisgarh Panchayat Raj Act banning all “non-Hindu
religious propaganda, prayers and speeches in the villages.”
An order passed by Sirisguda Panchayat read as
follows :
“To
stop the forced conversion by some outsider religious campaigners and to
prevent them from using derogatory language against Hindu deities and customs,
the Sirisguda Gram Sabha bans religious activities such as prayers, meetings
and propaganda of all non-Hindu religions.”
(http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/in-bastar-50-villages-ban-nonhindu-missionaries/article6180825.ece)
It is disturbing to know that despite the 'illegal
and unconstitutional' step not much was done to rein in the perpetrators and
the situation was allowed to deteriorate further. Reports in few national
dailies were to no avail. Today when the situation seems to have become worse,
there is further silence on part of the media.One does not know what will
happen next.
Whether the Raman Singh government would rise from
its deep slumber and would do something about it remains to be seen.
As an aside it may be mentioned that the Narendra
Modi government, which believes itself to be efficient and hard working,
recently got a slap on the wrist from the Supreme Court which said it behaved
like 'Kumbhakarna', the mythological character who loved sleeping for long
periods, and 19th century story character 'Rip Van Winkle', who shirked hard
work. A two member bench of the highest court was deliberating on the failure
of the ministry of environment and forests to submit a report in stipulated
time.
Perhaps it is high time that the highest courts of
the country suo motto reminds the Raman Singh government of its
constitutionally mandated duties and tell it not to behave like Rip Van Winkle
in executing them.
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