Staff Reporter
SHILLONG:
The Voice of the People Party (VPP) on September 27 stressed the need to oppose any attempt to create division in the society in the name of religion.
“Let us oppose any attempt to create division in the society, in the name of religion. Let us not look at each other through the prism of religion, and instead strive to maintain the unity of this great country,” VPP chief and former Nongkrem legislator Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit said in a statement.
He was reacting to the statement made by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat that all people living in India are Hindus.
He said the RSS chief’s assertion is more than what meets the eye.
“One should be able to read between the lines, what this statement actually means? If one tries to properly analyse the statement, one would conclude that his statement is directed at Christianity,” Basaiawmoit said.
According to Basaiawmoit, firstly, Bhagwat wants to say that the indigenous tribals of the state were originally Hindus, but were converted to Christianity and secondly, he is also trying to create a division among the indigenous people by his statement.
“Thirdly, he also tries to convince the indigenous people of the state, that their traditional faith is no different from Hindu religion,” the VPP president said.
According to Basaiawmoit, the RSS chief’s statement cannot be taken lightly and that it is incumbent upon the indigenous people to be very careful and alert, and not to be misled by such baseless and unfounded statements.
“It must be remembered that even before the advent of Christianity, the indigenous people practised their traditional faith which is very different from Hindu religion. The indigenous tribes worship a living god, and are not idol worshippers. Therefore, indigenous tribal religion cannot be compared to Hinduism by any stretch of imagination,” he added.
Basaiawmoit also said that as a Christian himself, he can never claim that Meghalaya is a Christian state, because faith or religion is personal, and had nothing to do with the state or a community.
“It is also unconstitutional to state that Meghalaya is a Christian state or that India is a Hindu country. Therefore, let us oppose any attempt to create division in the society in the name of religion. Let us not look at each other through the prism of religion, and instead strive to maintain the unity of this great country,” Basaiawmoit added.
TUR, KAM object
Thma U Rangli-Juki and KAM Meghalaya have also taken strong objection to Bhagwat’s
In a statement issued here, the organisations stated that it not only goes against the pluralist traditions of India with diverse faiths but also points to the insidious attempts by the Hindutva eco system to violently turn India into a Hindu rashtra.
“Moreover Mr. Bhagwat was speaking in Shillong, Meghalaya where indigenous tribals have never been part of the Hindu caste and religious order. TUR & KAM shall always defend the secular character of the Indian republic where freedom of religion, faith and culture is celebrated and defended,” the statement said.