BJP campaigns for denying quota, other benefits to converted tribals
Party cites court rulings to justify its claim, says tribals shun their traditions, rituals after conversion
JAMSHEDPUR: Months ahead of Jharkhand assembly elections, ruling BJP has intensified its campaign to deny constitutional benefits, including reservation in jobs, education and medical facilities, meant for scheduled tribes (ST) to the tribals who converted to other faiths from their original Sarna faith.
State BJP president Laxman Gilua and party’s ST Morcha national and state presidents submitted memorandums to deputy commissioners (DCs) of 24 districts demanding that the ST caste certificate should denied to converted tribals.
Few months back, it was reported in a section of media that the Raghubar Das government was mulling to change the format of caste certificate to deny ST certificate to converted tribals.
Gilua led delegations of ST Morcha units in East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharsawan to the DCs concerned demanding that ST certificates of converted tribals be cancelled and they be deprived of government benefits meant for ‘original’ tribals.
BJP ST Morcha national president Rajya Sabha MP, Sameer Oraon, submitted similar memorandum to the DCs of Dumka, Pakur and Sahebgaunj on Wednesday while BJP ST Morcha state president Khijri MLA Ram Kumar Pahan submitted the memorandum to DCs of Khunti and Simdega on Thursday. “We will submit similar memorandum to the DCs of Lohardaga and Gumla on Saturday,” Pahan said.
Gilua said that converted tribals stop following their rituals. After conversion, they do not practice their social ceremonies and traditions. “Hence, they should not be allow to encroach the constitutional rights and benefits given to original Sarna tribes and should be denied benefits of reservation in jobs, education and medical facilities meant for the STs,” said Gilua, adding that they have submitted similar memorandum to Governor Draupadi Murmu already.
“In 2004, Kerala High Court , in Kerala Government vs Chandramohan and others case, had ruled that constitutional benefits meant for STs should not be given to those tribals who have converted and shunned tribal traditions, rituals, worships and customary laws of social ceremonies like marriage, inheritance etc. Later Supreme Court too upheld this HC order,” said Pahan.
“Gauhati HC and SC, in EvanE-Lenkai and other vs Jayantia Hills District Council case, had ordered restoring back tribal lands transferred to missionaries
and other non-tribals by virtue of marrying tribal girls, conversion etc. Large tracts of land given to tribal heads like Pahan, Pujar, Vaiga, Majhi, Naiki etc for social ceremonies and worships have been usurped by the missionary institutions not just Jharkhand but in other scheduled states by this way,” reminded Pahan.
Gilua said they requested the DCs strict compliance of section 46 and 49 of the CNT Act and SPT Act in Kolhan and Santhal Pargana divisions of the state and take penal action against the violators.