Guwahati, Dec. 16: Christian missionaries in the Northeast have once again come under severe criticism from a Sangh outfit. The nascent North East India Janajati Faith and Culture Protection Forum, a front organisation of the Sangh Parivar, today accused the Church of having a nexus with insurgent outfits.
Forum president B.B. Jamatia at a press conference here today justified its claim, saying the missionary-run schools were functioning normally in the insurgency-affected areas where even government schools were unable to function.
He was specifically referring to the threat to non-missionary educational institutions in Tripura from the National Liberation Front of Tripura.
?There are some divisive forces active in this area which are trying to weaken our societies and nation by sowing the seeds of dissension,? the forum said in a resolution adopted during its two-day convention. The convention ended here yesterday.
It cautioned the janajatis to ?remain alert? against these forces by being ?committed and devoted? to their eternal faith and culture, inherited from their forefathers.
The forum further claimed that though the Sixth Schedule as well as the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution have given an important place to the customary laws in the northeastern states, the ?divisive forces and foreign religious groups? did not favour implementation of customary laws.
The forum also accused the convent schools and electronic media of spoiling the culture of tribal people.
?In pursuit of so-called modern education through convent schools, the janajati society is getting de-culturised at a very fast pace. The deculturisation is further encouraged by electronic media and TV channels,? it said.
The forum appealed to the janajatis to strive for protecting their customary laws, faith and culture.