Jamatya drive to counter church

AGARTALA, January 28: Matching the Protestant Church's overzealous conversion drive, the hoda okra (head priest and community leader) of the devout Hindu Jamatya tribal community, Bikram Bahadur, has unveiled a new set of programmes as part of his ongoing crusade against forced conversion of Hindu tribals by NLFT militants. Calling upon the Jamatya and other Hindu tribesmen not to bow down to the "fascist designs" of the NLFT militants and their patrons, Bikram Bahadur Jamatya and his deputy Haricharan Jamatya have urged all Hindu tribals to attend the dharma samsad slated to be held here in March. Apart from this, two revered Jamatya tribal leaders have already directed Hindu tribal followers to prepare themselves for organising the traditional garia puja in a befitting manner. Making a statement on the stand taken by the Jamatya hoda (community council), organisation secretary Ramapada Jamatya said garia puja would be held this time with traditional gaiety and Governor K.M. Seth would be invited to inaugurate the weeklong festival. The statement said a meeting of the Jamatya hoda, held in Killa area under Udaipur subdivision and presided over by okras Bikram Bahadur Jamatya and Haricharan Jamatya, had decided to set up a headquarters and centre of pilgrimage of the Jamatya community at Pitra area under Udaipur subdivision. Besides, the publication of a monthly organ of the hoda, named Hodani Khorang ("Voice of the Society"), has also been mooted by the meeting held on January 20. Apart from this, other decisions taken by the hoda include a special census of the Hindu Jamatya people to be conducted by members and office-bearers of the hoda and consultation with guardians and local leaders of Jamatya-inhabited areas for reopening schools and government offices. "This will be completed expeditiously," the statement added. During the weeklong garia puja, all Hindu Jamatya tribesmen have been directed to put on traditional clothes as a mark of respect for their tradition and identity. Ramapada Jamatya said in his statement that according to the decisions of the hoda, all Jamatya and Hindu tribals will perform their traditional religious duties like offering puja to Lord Siva, Mata Tripureswari and Mother Ganga between March 17 and 22. Before that, Jamatyas will attend in strength the dharma samsad of the Hindu community slated to be held here on March 8. "The garia puja, biggest and most significant annual religious festival of tribal Hindus, will be celebrated in a grand manner this year at Pitra and Governor K.M. Seth will be invited to inaugurate the festival," Ramapada Jamatya's statement added. CPM sources here refused to comment on the parallel streams of the religious movements and the possibility of a conflict over this.