ICC Note:

A tribal leader in India’s Jharkhand state has called on the state government to ban tribals’ ability to convert from one religion to another. The leader justifies this request by saying it is needed to preserve the unique culture of tribals in India. Unfortunately, similar justifications have been used to support widespread persecution and intolerance. In India’s Chhattisgarh state, protecting tribal culture was used to ban the practice of Christianity from over 50 villages and establish social boycotts against any Christian families within those villages. Will similar issues now start popping up in Jharkhand?

12/05/2016 India (Times of India) – Kendriya Sarna Samiti, the socio-religious tribal body which found itself mired in controversy for supporting amendments to CNT and SPT Act, met chief minister Raghubar Das at his residence on Sunday and urged him to bring a legislation against religious conversions.

The delegation led by the president of the samiti, Fulchand Tirkey, handed over a memorandum in which the tribal outfit also sought a ban on the benefits of reservation to those who have adopted Christianity.

“Those who have adopted other religions or are offspring of tribal mothers and non-tribal fathers must not enjoy the benefits of reservation and other facilities extended by the government to the tribal community,” the memorandum stated.

While a section of the Sarna samiti had objected to the amendments in CNT and SPT Act introduced by the Das government, the team which met the CM said they wanted the government to conserve tribal culture and heritage.

“Tribals are known for their distinct socio-religious identity and there must be an effort to preserve their religious places like Sarna sthal (open land where religious ceremonies are organized), masna (tribal burial place) and Dhumkudia (common place where social events like marriage ceremony are organized),” Tirkey said.

The samiti has been demanding separate religious code for the tribals for a long time. The delegation once again reiterated that demand, expressing disappointment over being clubbed with other religions.

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