‘The Washington Post’, in its latest tirade against India, has attempted to stir conflict in the State of Jharkhand by antagonising Hindus and the tribal communities.
The American newspaper published an article on Saturday (1st February) wherein it accused Hindu groups of carrying out ‘evangelical campaigns’ in Jharkhand to ‘convert’ tribals to the Hindu Faith.
It further alleged that the Rashtriya Swayamsevek Sangh (RSS) and its affiliate organisations were somehow stripping tribals of their ‘culture’ by convincing them they were part of the larger Hindu fold.
The vicious article comes at a time when Jharkhand is facing large-scale proselytism and predatory conversion tactics from Muslim and Christian groups.
“Even in dense jungles, India’s right-wing Hindu movement is pursuing its project of transforming this historically secular country into a Hindu nation, seeking to convince millions of tribal people who have long remained outside mainstream religion that they, too, are Hindu,” the article published in The Washington Post’ read.
The American newspaper attempted to deride the efforts of the Hindu outfits to prevent the cultural practices and customs of tribal communities from becoming extinct.
The resistance offered by these groups at ground zero against evangelical practices by organised religions has seemed to rattle the interests of The Washington Post.
Resistance of Hindu outfits against predatory conversion mistaken as evangelism
Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar to fulfil the longstanding demand of the tribal communities of the region. As per the 2011 Census, 67.8% of the population (majority) in the State identifies as Hindus.
Contrary to the claims of ‘The Washington Post’, Hindu groups are not ‘desperate’ to convert anyone as the Faith already constitutes the majority in Jharkhand.
The focus is rather on thwarting conversion tactics by Muslims and Christian evangelical outfits as they race to amass a large number of new ‘believers.’
The Washington Post targets Vikas Bharti and Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram
The American newspaper appeared miffed with Vikas Bharati, accusing it of ‘dividing tribal communities among Hindus, Christians and nature-worshipers.’ It tried to paint the grassroots-level Hindu cultural organisation in a poor light
An education coordinator with Vikas Bharti, Kumkum Maitra, told The Washington Post, “You can’t force Hinduism. You have to live among them and respect them to create an extended Hindu family.”
Her invite to the local tribals on the occasion of Shivratri was deliberately misconstrued as proselytising ‘nature worshippers’.
Another Jharkhand-based Hindu outfit, which was maligned by ‘The Washington Post’ in its article, was Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram. The paper had accused the organisation of competing with Christian evangelists in the neighbouring Chhattisgarh.
It quoted controversial Nandini Sundar (the wife of The Wire’s Founding Editor Siddharth Vardarajan) to make outrageous claims about Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram.
The Washington Post also accused Vikas Bharti of carrying out ‘ghar wapsi’ of Adivasis, converted by Christian evangelists, and restoring their original status of being Hindus.
The Sarna Code Controversy
As of now, Indian law recognises six religious communities: Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, and Jain. The Congress-HMM alliance, which denies concerns about infiltration, has promised to implement the Sarna Tribal Religious Code.
In November 2020, the INDIA coalition government convened a one-day special session of the Jharkhand Assembly to unanimously pass a proposal to include ‘Sarna’ as a separate religion in the 2021 Census.
Despite questioning the government’s intentions, the BJP supported this proposal. Subsequently, Chief Minister Hemant Soren wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reiterating the demand.
While releasing its manifesto for the Jharkhand elections, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that the BJP would consider the Sarna Code and make appropriate decisions.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the BJP’s election in-charge for Jharkhand, reiterated this stance on several occasions. Assam Chief Minister and election co-incharge Himanta Biswa Sarma went further, promising that the party would implement the Sarna Code if it forms the government.
The Sarna Code recognises tribal society as a distinct religious group. While the BJP has not publicly opposed it, its stance in this election appears softer compared to the RSS’s ideology, which considers tribal society part of Hinduism.
The RSS, through organisations like the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, operates in tribal areas with this belief.
Sandeep Oraon, regional coordinator (Bihar-Jharkhand) of the RSS-affiliated Tribal Security Forum, claims that implementing the Sarna Code would create several problems at various levels.
Washington Post rakes up Sarna Code issue
The Washington Post raked up the issue of ‘Sarna Code’ to drive further wedge between Hindus and ‘nature worshippers’, calling it a ‘new flash point’ and ‘challenge’ for the RSS.
The newspaper claimed, “Across Jashpur and Bishunpur, a growing number of tribal people, including some of those who identify as Hindu or collaborate with Hindu missionaries, are advocating for a distinct religious identity.”
It cited the example of a ‘nature worshipping’ tribal nurse working with the ‘Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram’, who alleged that Hindus are forcing her to identify as a Hindu ‘although her community (Sarna) is different’.
The vicious article ended on the note that Hindus are opposed to Sarna code as it somehow hurts the narrative that tribals need protection from foreign religions (which is a fact carved in truth).
