By Debraj Deb
Despite criticism from the Opposition, Tripura’s Janajati Suraksha Mancha, a tribal rights body that the Congress and the CPM say has the RSS’s backing, announced Sunday that it would hold a rally on December 25 demanding that tribals converts to Christianity be denied Scheduled Tribe status.
“We are not against any community or any religion. We are saying that there are people who are getting dual benefits even after being converted to Christianity. We are organising the rally on December 25 demanding the delisting of tribals who have converted to Christianity,” Milan Rani Jamatia, a member of the Mancha, told reporters in Agartala.
According to the Mancha, the delisting demand was first raised in 1966-67 under the leadership of MP Kartik Orang.
Later in 1970, the demand list with the recommendation of a Joint Parliamentary Committee was submitted to the prime minister. “We are holding rallies in different villages. So far, a total of 14 rallies were held in the country. More rallies will follow. Another huge rally, Chalo Delhi, will be organised. At least five lakh people will take part in it and submit a memorandum to the President of India,” said Binud Kumbang, a senior member of the Mancha.
Nearly 30 per cent of the state’s 37 lakh population (2011 census) lives within the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council. The council area is non-contiguously spread across all eight districts of the state and encompasses nearly 70 per cent of the state’s geographical area, housing one third of its population, hailing from 19 tribal communities.
This story was originally published in indianexpress.com. Read the full story here .