A village body (gram sabha) in Chhattisgarh’s tribal-dominated Bastar
district has allegedly adopted a resolution barring entry of non-Hindu
people. The resolution, allegedly passed at a special meeting of
Sirisguda gram sabha recently, apprehended that entry of other religions
would undermine the tribal culture and religion. The village meeting
alleged that people of a particular minority community were dissuading
locals to resort to local religious practices posing a threat to tribal
culture and traditions.
“We have learnt about the resolution from local media and are going
to take up the matter with the chief minister Raman Singh for
appropriate action,” local Church leader Bhupendra Khora said on
Tuesday.
When contacted, additional superintendent of police (ASP) S.R. Salam
said, “No such incident has come to our notice. We have only received
reports of clashes among some people in the locality”.
Chhattisgarh Christian Forum general secretary Arun Pannanal however
alleged that several gram sabhas in Bastar have taken a similar stand as
was done by gram sabha of Sirisguda.
“There is no legal sanction for such decisions, but vested interests
are trying to push their agenda by using gram sabha as a platform,” he
added.
When contacted, a senior officer of Chhattisgarh government told this
newspaper that the matter would be probed and appropriate action would
be taken to ensure that social harmony is not disturbed in the village.
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