Almost the entire tribal population in Sai Tangartoli village panchayat in Jashpur district of Chhattisgarh has converted to Islam. The village, which is a reserved tribal seat, was once a tribal village, however, the demography has changed over time. Out of a total of 1760 votes, 90 votes are Christians, while the rest are Muslims.
As per a report by Dainik Bhaskar, village panchayat elections are going to be held in Sai Tangartoli village. A person named Baris Ali, who once used to be Prasanna Ram, is going to contest the village panchayat elections. A local villager named Brijesh Singh informed that in 1970, the village had 32 tribal and 30 Muslim houses. He said that Prasanna Ram’s family was the only tribal family but they too converted to Islam. Prasanna has changed his name to Baris Ali but he introduces himself as Prasanna Ram. Out of the last 25 years, people from his family have been leading the village panchayat elections for 15 years.
The only tribal in the village, Prasanna Ram, changed his name to Baris Ali after converting to Islam
As per, Prasanna Ram alias Baris Ali, he belongs to Gaud tribal caste. He is a proud Muslim who has grown a beard and offers namaz five times a day. He has not been to Hajj yet but is hopeful. “I came here 50 years ago. I have 2 sons and 4 daughters. My son offers namaz every Jumma (Friday) and is the Sarpanch of the village. But I am not satisfied with his work, therefore, I will make my wife Jaymuni Bai and daughter Shaghufta contest elections on the reserved women’s seat this time”, Prasanna told Dainik Bhaskar. There are a total of four candidates including Sumanti Bai, the second tribal wife of one Jabbar, and Marsela Ekka, former Sarpanch and wife of one Ahmed.
Several Muslim men have married tribal women who have been contesting elections on the tribal seat
Before 1999, the village used to be a general village panchayat but later became a reserved tribal seat, as informed by Deputy Sarpanch Naved. He further said the Prasanna Ram was the only tribal in the village back then. He contested the panchayat elections and won. In 2004, Ahmed married Marsela Ekka, she contested the elections and won. In 2009, wife of Prasanna Ram was elected as Sarpanch. Later in 2013, Jabbar made his trial wife Praveen Kujur contest the elections and she won. At present, Dubraj, son of Prasanna Ram, is the Sarpanch. Around 6 Muslims in the village have married tribal women. Jabbar has four wives. In the village elections, either these tribal wives or members of Prasanna Ram’s family have been winning the elections.
The village is notorious for cow slaughter
According to Jashpur SP Shashimohan Singh, the village used to be a safe haven for cow slaughter. Cows from across the state were brought here to smuggle to Bangladesh. “When I came to Jashpur, I was told that the entry of police is prohibited in the village and any policeman who entered the village was for sure attacked,” said SP Singh. “I planned operation Shankhnad. First, we sent the person providing them cover to jail. We confiscated the vehicles caught smuggling cattle. One day when we entered the village in a planned manner, we were attacked by the women. We pacified them and seized several cows. Now the situation in the village is normal,” he added.
