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NCM's plea to Chhattisgarh Government

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has asked the Chhattisgarh Government to ensure that social and political groups are not allowed to exploit religious sentiments for their narrow ends.

"Such groups have been assiduously indulging in hate propaganda against Christians in general and Christian missionaries in particular," a statement issued by the Commission said here on Friday.

It has also drawn the State Government's attention to areas where the naxal movement was strong and asked it not to lower its guard. If a section of the citizenry feels it is marginalised and has no stake in the future of the country, it could be an easy prey to elements whose main aim is to destabilise society, the Commission said.

The first step to stall such a development will be to suitably amend the Chhattisgarh Land Revenue Code or to interpret it in the widest possible manner, it said.

The observations came following complaints received by the Commission from tribal Christians in Jashpur district, alleging partisan and discriminatory treatment from the district administration at the instance of "vested interests."

A NCM team visited Jashpur in March and organised public hearings where people alleged that the Government was interpreting and implementing the Chhattisgarh Land Revenue Code 1959 in a manner harmful to the interests of tribal Christians. Section 170 B of the Code bars the sale of Adivasi agricultural land to a non-adivasi to protect the interests of the poor and illiterate tribal people. They alleged that the provision was being used to prevent Christian tribals from setting up schools and dispensaries that could cater to the needs of their community.

They said that since they were not in a position to set up schools or hospitals themselves, they handed over their land to societies formed for the purpose but these efforts were stalled because the sale of such land was not permitted to the societies either.

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