Guwahati, March 27: Thousands of staged staged a massive rally demanding immediate de-listing of Scheduled Castes which got converted to either Christianity or Islam.
“Unfortunately, caste system exists in Hindu society. SCs were considered as untouchables and hence reservation facility was given. Now, that they have renounced Hindu religion and embraced other religions, these converted SCs must be delisted,” the agitators demanded.
Tribals from all the 30 districts of Assam had assembled in the state Guwahati. They were all dressed up in their traditional attire.
Organised by Janjati Dharma Samskriti Suraksha Manch, an organisation inspired by RSS, the rallyists presented a memorandum to the Chief Minister and Governor to be forwarded to the Prime Minister and President of India.
The rallyists further demanded an amendment to Article 342 A of the Constitution in such a way that ‘a person who renounce Hindu religion and embraces Christianity or Islam must automatically loses the reservational benefits’.
The organization alleged that the Scheduled Tribe community is the most threatened and vulnerable on account of ‘inducements, lurings, force and fraud’ methodology adopted by the Christian and Islamic missionaries.
“Conversion in Assam is rampant and tribals are the victims. If this menace is not stopped, the indigenous tribal culture will vanish,” the speakers atbthr rally insisted.
Binud Kumbang, joint convenor, of the organization said, “Both Christianity and Islam claim to be a caste-less society. So, if one were to convert to Christianity or Islam, they are part of a religion that does not discriminate on the basis of caste. So, why should reservational benefits be extended to those STs who now claim to be a part of caste-less society? This is the premise on which we have based our argument “
EOM
