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‘Ghar wapsi’ in West Bengal village draws govt ire
Someswar Boral,TNN | Jan 29, 2015, 04.23 AM IST
SURI: Over a dozen adivasi Christian families — some 100 people, including children — attended a Vishwa Hindu Parishad programme that had all the tell-tale signs of the controversial Ghar Vapsi programme. In fact, after the 'suddhikaran' (cleansing) at Kharmadanga village, some 30km from town, at least one couple — Rani Murmu and Madari Baske — announced their "homecoming".
However, the district administration and senior VHP leaders refused to call it a conversion because none of the adivasis had placed an affidavit for name change.
The adivasis who came from neighbouring Nurpahari village were candid in their admission. "We embraced Christianity a couple of years ago. They (the clergy) promised us money, jobs and other good things in life. We are disillusioned now because none of the promises came true. We want to go back to our old religion. Nobody has put pressure on us," said Rani.
The Parishad first held a public meeting at Rampurhat, where VHP international working president Praveen Togadia and national secretary of the Dharm-Prasar Vibhag, Jugal Kishor, gave speeches. It was Kishor who mentioned the 'homecoming'. "Conversion means dissociating people from their own culture and religion by force or luring them with valuables and assets. We want development in the country but some people have come in the way of development. We have to bring back those people who deserted their religion by mistake and went over to other side. It is our duty to carry on Ghar-Vapsi," he said.
But Kishor did not utter the Ghar-Vapsi phrase at Kharmadanga. Togadia avoided going to the 'suddhikaran' event altogether.
The only VHP leader to admit to the suddhikaran was Debashis Chatterjee. "They (the tribals) have come for suddhikaran. They embraced Christianity but later they didn't like the culture and the religion. That is why they want to return to Hinduism. It is done following the law of the land," Chatterjee said.
Chatterjee's view didn't find favour with VHP state secretary Amiya Sarkar. "It was a foundation-stone ceremony for a tribal hostel, healthcare centre, school and cultural complex for the banabashis (forest dwellers). Jugal Kishorji laid the foundation stone. The development project is spread over five bighas. No conversion was done in that programme," Sarkar said, maintaining that Chatterjee's remarks were his personal views.
Rampurhat-I SDO Uma Shankar S denied there was any conversion. "We have no information of any kind of conversion," the official said. Birbhum SP Alok Rajoria said that police had not received any complaint of "forcible conversion". Sources in the Birbhum administration hinted that they haven't received any affidavit for name change, which follows conversion. The last time such an incident was reported here was in the tribal-dominated Bhatina Village in 2004.
Trinamool Rajya Sabha MP and party spokesperson Derek O'Brien expressed concern over the alleged conversion. "Initial reports suggest those converted at the VHP rally are BJP workers who were lured. Let me say this that if there is a hint of coercion or forcible conversion the matter will be dealt with seriously," he said, adding that the government has already started an inquiry.
‘Ghar wapsi’ in West Bengal village draws govt ire - The Times of India
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Someswar Boral,TNN | Jan 29, 2015, 04.23 AM IST
SURI: Over a dozen adivasi Christian families — some 100 people, including children — attended a Vishwa Hindu Parishad programme that had all the tell-tale signs of the controversial Ghar Vapsi programme. In fact, after the 'suddhikaran' (cleansing) at Kharmadanga village, some 30km from town, at least one couple — Rani Murmu and Madari Baske — announced their "homecoming".
However, the district administration and senior VHP leaders refused to call it a conversion because none of the adivasis had placed an affidavit for name change.
The adivasis who came from neighbouring Nurpahari village were candid in their admission. "We embraced Christianity a couple of years ago. They (the clergy) promised us money, jobs and other good things in life. We are disillusioned now because none of the promises came true. We want to go back to our old religion. Nobody has put pressure on us," said Rani.
The Parishad first held a public meeting at Rampurhat, where VHP international working president Praveen Togadia and national secretary of the Dharm-Prasar Vibhag, Jugal Kishor, gave speeches. It was Kishor who mentioned the 'homecoming'. "Conversion means dissociating people from their own culture and religion by force or luring them with valuables and assets. We want development in the country but some people have come in the way of development. We have to bring back those people who deserted their religion by mistake and went over to other side. It is our duty to carry on Ghar-Vapsi," he said.
But Kishor did not utter the Ghar-Vapsi phrase at Kharmadanga. Togadia avoided going to the 'suddhikaran' event altogether.
The only VHP leader to admit to the suddhikaran was Debashis Chatterjee. "They (the tribals) have come for suddhikaran. They embraced Christianity but later they didn't like the culture and the religion. That is why they want to return to Hinduism. It is done following the law of the land," Chatterjee said.
Chatterjee's view didn't find favour with VHP state secretary Amiya Sarkar. "It was a foundation-stone ceremony for a tribal hostel, healthcare centre, school and cultural complex for the banabashis (forest dwellers). Jugal Kishorji laid the foundation stone. The development project is spread over five bighas. No conversion was done in that programme," Sarkar said, maintaining that Chatterjee's remarks were his personal views.
Rampurhat-I SDO Uma Shankar S denied there was any conversion. "We have no information of any kind of conversion," the official said. Birbhum SP Alok Rajoria said that police had not received any complaint of "forcible conversion". Sources in the Birbhum administration hinted that they haven't received any affidavit for name change, which follows conversion. The last time such an incident was reported here was in the tribal-dominated Bhatina Village in 2004.
Trinamool Rajya Sabha MP and party spokesperson Derek O'Brien expressed concern over the alleged conversion. "Initial reports suggest those converted at the VHP rally are BJP workers who were lured. Let me say this that if there is a hint of coercion or forcible conversion the matter will be dealt with seriously," he said, adding that the government has already started an inquiry.
‘Ghar wapsi’ in West Bengal village draws govt ire - The Times of India
====================================================================
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