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Dangs likely to become political minefield, says study

The Dangs, the tribal-dominated south Gujarat district, which recently witnessed communal violence over the issue of conversion, is likely to become an arena of intense political activity in the days ahead. This is the conclusion of a field study by a team from the Panchand Research Institute, led by its president Shyam Khosla.

The study, titled, The True Story of The Dangs, notes that apart from Christian and Hindu religious organisations trying to intensify their activities, political parties are also endeavouring to take advantage of the situation. The Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the left parties are trying to exploit the situation in their own ways.

The study criticises the coverage by the English language and the international press of the attacks on Christian institutions in December and January. The study claims that if the Christians accused Swami Seemanandji of vitiating the atmosphere in the district, the Hindus named a whole lot of Christian priests who have been launching a sustained anti-Hindu campaign to disturb the tribal social order. Citing official figures, the study says that as many as 139 of the total 200 people arrested in connection with the attacks were Hindus. The remaining 61 were Christians.

The study says that while some church spokespeople called conversion a bogey raised by those who want to push the "Hindu agenda," Hindu leaders also felt social harmony would remain threatened as long as the Church persisted with conversions. It notes that some prominent Sarvodaya leaders like Ghelubhai Nayak, who have been conducting tribal welfare activities in the district for five decades, insist the recent violence was a reaction to organised conversion by Christian missionaries.

The report says the reconversion activities have been stepped up in recent times and propaganda to awaken Hindus is reaching a peak. It is the aggressiveness involved in the proceedings that has scared the missionaries. According to the study, converted tribals are taken to the temple of Unai Mata where they take a holy dip in the nearby river and after a ritual are deemed Hindus again.

The study says there is a widespread awareness among tribals about the problem they face. It notes that the conversion has generated social tension in the tribal Dangs society since it is mostly the individuals who convert, and not entire families. The study suggests that the Union government pay special attention to the problems of tribals in the Dangs and allocate adequate funds for their development. It also suggested that customs and culture of the tribals be protected.

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