Tribals in Jharkhand have been found to be converting to other religions leading to a fall in their numbers.
Credit: PTI Photo
Ranchi: The Jharkhand High Court on Friday directed the Centre and the state government to file an immediate response on the conversion of tribals in the state.
Tribals in the state have been found to be converting to other religions leading to a fall in their numbers, it said.
A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Sujit Narain Prasad and Justice Arun Kumar Rai was hearing a public interest litigation filed by a person named Soma Oraon on the issue.
In the course of hearing, the high court was informed that tribals in the hinterlands of the state are being misled and sometimes lured to follow different religions.
Several faith-healing programmes (‘changai sabhas’) are being organised in Jharkhand, and such events tend to “misguide” the innocent tribals who are then led to follow a different faith, the court was informed.
The Jharkhand government and the Centre had failed to file their responses in the matter.
In an oral observation, the court said the state and Union governments seem to be non-compliant on this important point, which is aimed at the existence of the tribal community.
The government counsel informed the high court that data is being collected in different districts of the state with regards to conversion of tribals.
The court directed the Centre and state government to file their affidavits, and it will hear the matter again on September 5.
The petitioner’s counsel, Rohit Ranjan Sinha, informed the bench that a similar PIL is being pursued before the Supreme Court of India.
The high court, during the course of hearing, observed that another PIL filed by one Daniel Danish related to illegal immigration of Bangladeshi refugees in the state through the districts of Santhal Pargana, has also exposed the conversion of tribals.
It ordered both the PILs filed by Oraon and Danish to be tagged, and these will be heard together.