During the ongoing Jharkhand Assembly Elections 2024, the themes of ‘roti’, ‘beti’, and ‘maati’ continue to resonate deeply. Amid these discussions, two significant dates have passed: November 8th and November 15th, observed as Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas. Notably, November 8th holds historical importance as it marks the first recorded instance of Christian conversions among tribal/Adivasi (Scheduled Tribes) communities in the region now known as Jharkhand.
Tracing the Origins of Christianity Among STs in Jharkhand: When and How It Began
In 1873, Archbishop Stains from Kolkata baptized 28 individuals from six Munda families in Khuntpani (also spelled Khutpani/Khuntpani), now located in the West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand. A memorial stone bearing the names of these first converts still stands. To commemorate this event, an annual “pilgrimage fair” is held on November 8th, drawing Christian converts from Jharkhand and neighboring states. The fair also attracts Roman Catholic devotees from abroad.
Jharkhand’s tribal identity is eroding due to Christian conversions and Muslim infiltration, altering the region’s cultural and demographic landscape.
Santhal Pargana: From Early Christian Conversions to Modern-Day Muslim Influence
Khuntpani is located in the Chotanagpur region, which has been heavily influenced by Christian missionary activities in the Santhal Pargana area. This influence is so widespread that it is now common for members of the Scheduled Tribe (ST) community, who have converted to Christianity, to be elected as representatives.
The region is also facing scrutiny over demographic shifts due to the reported influx of Bangladeshi and Rohingya Muslims. Tribal sacred sites, known as Sarna, are increasingly being replaced by mosques and mazars. As a result, the tribal population is not only losing their land and livelihoods but also experiencing social disruption, including concerns about their daughters' safety. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has frequently raised these issues during his rallies.
Commitment to Address Infiltration and Implement the Sarna Code
In response to this critical situation, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has vowed that if the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) comes to power in the state, it will not only halt infiltration but also implement laws to reclaim land taken or unlawfully acquired by infiltrators. In addition to the issue of infiltration, the Sarna Dharma Code has emerged as a key topic in these elections.
Understanding the Sarna Dharma Code
Currently, Indian law recognizes six religious communities: Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, and Jain. The Congress-HMM alliance, which dismisses concerns about infiltration, has pledged to introduce the Sarna Tribal Religious Code.
In November 2020, the INDIA coalition government held a special one-day session of the Jharkhand Assembly, where a proposal to include ‘Sarna’ as a separate religion in the 2021 Census was unanimously passed. Despite questioning the government's motives, the BJP supported the proposal. Following this, Chief Minister Hemant Soren sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, renewing the demand.
When releasing its manifesto for the Jharkhand elections, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that the BJP would examine the Sarna Code and make an informed decision. BJP’s election in-charge for Jharkhand, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, reaffirmed this position multiple times. Assam Chief Minister and election co-incharge Himanta Biswa Sarma went further, assuring that the party would implement the Sarna Code if it forms the government.
The Sarna Code acknowledges tribal society as a distinct religious community. While the BJP has not overtly opposed it, its stance in this election appears more moderate compared to the RSS's ideology, which views tribal society as part of Hinduism. The RSS, through organizations like the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, works in tribal areas with this perspective. Sandeep Oraon, regional coordinator of the RSS-affiliated Tribal Security Forum for Bihar-Jharkhand, argues that implementing the Sarna Code could cause numerous challenges at various levels.
Can the Sarna Code Prevent Christian Conversions?
Much like Khuntpani, Madku Dweep in Chhattisgarh's Mungeli district also hosts religious fairs that celebrate Christianity. Encircled by the Shivnath River, the island is believed to be the place where Rishi Mandukya wrote the Mundaka Upanishad, the source of the motto "Satyamev Jayate."
Getting to the island is no easy feat. In September 2022, I crossed the river by boat to visit it, only to be taken aback by a platform with a cross on this otherwise deserted island. The largest event here is the week-long Christian fair, which has been held every February since 1909.
Kharkona's Tale Reflects the Story of Khuntpani
Chhattisgarh’s Jashpur district is a significant center for Christian conversion activities, home to the largest church in India, located in Kunkuri within the district. The conversion of the tribal population in this area began during British rule, when Sarna was officially recognized as a separate identity.
In the Manera block of Jashpur district lies the village of Kharkona, where visitors are welcomed by a Cross Square. A plaque near the church commemorates the baptism of 56 individuals on November 21, 1906. In this village, I also visited ‘Sahib Kona,’ which hosts annual events for converted Hindus.
The effects of Christian conversion in Jashpur are striking. Government records show that one in every four people in the district is Christian. This demographic change took place despite the strong influence of a royal family that worked to combat missionary activities and facilitate the return of converted Hindus, particularly tribals, to their original faith.
Clement Lakra's 30-Year Struggle for Sarna Recognition
The fight for Sarna recognition began long before Jharkhand became a state 24 years ago, spanning over 30 years and epitomized by the efforts of 58-year-old Clement Lakra. During my visit to Clement’s home in Duldula, Chhattisgarh, in 2022, he shared:
“My father was deceived. He was made a fool. When I realized this, I lost my faith in Christianity. I vowed to restore the Sarna faith that they (the Catholic institution) desecrated and return to my ancestors’ religion. Let’s see how long I can keep fighting.”
Clement, a father of two daughters, lives in Duldula, which is part of Chhattisgarh’s Kunkuri Assembly constituency. His wife, Sushma Lakra, serves as the sarpanch of Duldula. Family photographs on the walls suggest that they had converted to Christianity, while documents on a corner table detail the hardships they faced following their conversion.
Clement’s roughly 10 acres of land is now occupied by a Catholic institution, which includes a church, a school, residences for priests and nuns, and farmland worked by institution members. His father, Bhade (also known as Vashil Oraon), lost the land as part of the conversion to Christianity.
Despite winning a legal battle against the Catholic institution, Clement has yet to regain the land. Instead, the institution’s officials and their supporters continue to harass his family, blocking development efforts in the Duldula Panchayat and pressuring his wife to convince him to drop the case. Recalling one incident, Clement said, “In February 2022, a meeting was held in the church. I was told that if I didn’t withdraw the case, I’d be ostracised from society. They even threatened that no one would marry my daughters.”
Christian Missionaries Capitalize on Opportunities Amid Disasters
An organization called Unfolding Word is dedicated to translating the Bible into every language. Its CEO, David Reeves, made startling claims in 2021, revealing that approximately 100,000 people embraced Christianity during the Covid-19 pandemic. Each church was assigned the task of organizing prayers in ten villages. With in-person gatherings restricted, these prayers were shared through phone calls and WhatsApp.
Reeves also noted that the number of churches built in India during the pandemic exceeded the total built in the previous 25 years. One such church was located in Girang, Jashpur, on forest department land. Situated in a remote area with no accessible path, the church was ultimately shut down after protests halted its construction. Abhishek Gupta, a member of the BJP's youth wing, told OpIndia, “Christian missionaries engage in land jihad in this manner. Wherever they find vacant land, they plant a cross and build a church. Over time, they conspire with the administration to construct access pathways, and soon prayers begin. Later, no matter how much one protests, the administration refuses to remove the encroachment.”
Can the Sarna Code Halt the Joshua Project?
The Joshua Project, a US-based organization founded in 1995, operates with the biblical mission of spreading Christianity and baptizing people worldwide. Reports indicate that the organization establishes churches on tribal lands in states such as Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Odisha. In 2011–12, these four states had roughly 12,000 churches, a number that has since grown to over 25,000. This growth has occurred despite regulations that prevent outsiders from acquiring tribal land.
Missionaries, after converting tribal communities to Christianity, often encourage them to cut down Sarna trees, which are sacred to these groups. The impact of these conversions is profound, with entire villages embracing Christianity, leaving only a handful of Hindu families in some cases. In areas where missionaries have succeeded, crosses are erected as symbols of religious dominance.
The Joshua Project's scope extends beyond tribal groups, having gathered data on 2,272 castes and tribes in India. While it has not yet reached 2,041 of these groups, it has made significant inroads with 103 of them, leading to substantial Christian conversions in some cases, where anywhere from 10% to 100% of the population has converted.
BJP's Election Campaign: The 'Roti-Beti-Maati' Strategy
The BJP's election campaign is focusing on the themes of ‘roti-beti-maati’ and has highlighted the dual threats of infiltrators and Christian missionaries. The conversation now centers on the methods—both legitimate and illegitimate—used by churches to expand their influence in rural areas. To protect the reservation benefits of those who convert from tribal communities, many are being categorized as crypto-Christians.
This issue has also been raised by the Madras High Court. In a case involving Catholic priest George Ponnaiah from Kanyakumari, Justice G.R. Swaminathan pointed out significant demographic changes in the region. Referring to the religious composition of Kanyakumari, the judge remarked:
“There has been a noticeable demographic shift in Kanyakumari’s religious composition. Since 1980, Hindus have ceased to be the majority in the district. However, the 2011 Census still identifies Hindus as the largest religious group at 48.5%, which might not reflect the ground reality. A significant number of Scheduled Castes have converted to Christianity but continue to identify as Hindus to retain reservation benefits.”
Urgent Call for Political and Societal Action
This issue is not a new one, nor is it confined to Jharkhand alone. It has deep-rooted origins and a widespread effect, posing a threat to tribal and Hindu communities throughout India. While stringent anti-conversion laws may serve as a deterrent, they are insufficient to fully address this challenge. Hindu society cannot afford to remain passive, depending solely on political parties, organizations, or a few individuals to combat Christian missionary activities.
To break Hindus free from this destructive cycle, both political and administrative resolve are essential. It is equally important for every Hindu to stay informed and outspoken about the demographic shifts occurring around them. Sadly, in independent India, politics has rarely shown such determination, and Hindu society has yet to mobilize collectively on these critical issues.
Political groups often manipulate tribal identity issues, such as the Sarna Code, to divide Hindus, inadvertently supporting missionary efforts. When the proposal to recognize Sarna as a separate religion was presented in the Jharkhand Assembly, the BJP raised concerns about its divisive potential. Now, the BJP must prioritize long-term strategies to counter missionary activities.
The party needs to adopt the same assertiveness against Christian conversions as it does against illegal infiltration. If this issue is left unaddressed, the ongoing demographic shift will continue to erode the strength of Hindus, undermining the broader vision of an 'Akhand Bharat.'
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