Hobson’s choice for tribal Christians in Indian state poll

In Chhattisgarh state, tribal Christians have to choose between an indifferent ruling party and the pro-Hindu rival

Tribal Christians in central Indian Chhattisgarh state are confused about whom to support in the upcoming elections as the ruling Congress party has failed to protect them from the worst-ever anti-Christian violence, says a Catholic bishop

Chhattisgarh, along with four other Indian states, goes to polls in two phases on Nov. 7 and 17 for its 90-member assembly.

The ruling Congress party is banking on the performance of its Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel to win a second term.

Its rival, the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is striving to make a comeback after it lost power in 2018 following a 15-year rule.

“There is a cloud of confusion among tribal Christians,” said Bishop Paul Toppo of Raigarh in Chhattisgarh state referring to the Congress’ inability to safeguard the tribal Christians, especially in Narayanpur and Kondagaon districts in the past couple of years.

“Tribal Christians are dejected because they had voted for the Congress in previous elections. But when they were in trouble, the party failed to bail them out,” the prelate told UCA News on Oct. 31.

The attacks by hardline Hindu groups, with tacit support from the BJP, started on Dec. 9, 2022, and continued until January. Several tribal Christians were forced to leave their villages and take refuge in the nearby forests.

Over 1,000 tribal Christians, including pregnant women, children and elder people, were forced to flee their homes.

Many of them were beaten up ruthlessly and sustained serious injuries before they took shelter in the forest during a bitterly cold winter.

“Several of them are still away from their respective villages,” Bishop Toppo observed.

The response of the state government and its police has remained lackadaisical. They swung into action only after the plight of the displaced Christians started making headlines in the national media.

Hindu groups that support the BJP oppose tribal people converting to Christianity as they work to turn India into a nation of Hindu dominance.

Toppo, who hails from the Oraon tribal community, said that “only time will tell” whom the Christians will vote for.

“It is true that the ruling Congress did not support Christians when they faced coordinated violence. But they have “no choice” than to support Congress, said Binay Ekka, a Catholic tribal leader.

He said that the “BJP is worse than the Congress” when it comes to tribal Christians.

But, Ekka accepted that for the victims of the anti-Christian violence, “the wounds were not yet healed.”

Arvind Netam, an influential tribal leader in the state alleged that the ruling Congress in Chhattisgarh is anti-tribal.

Netam, a former federal minister, quit the Congress in August and formed the Sarva Adivasi Samaj (all-tribal people council), an umbrella organization of tribals in Chhattisgarh.

With tribal communities constituting about 30 percent of Chhattisgarh’s population, Netam’s party could emerge a dark horse in the poll fray.

Christians make up less than 2 percent of Chhattisgarh’s 30 million population. Their votes are inconsequential except in certain pockets where they are concentrated.

The results of the election will be declared on Dec. 3.

 

This article is originally published on https://www.ucanews.com/news/hobsons-choice-for-tribal-christians-in-indian-state-poll/103111