Poverty is an opportunity for evil in society. Whether it is the underworld, Naxalism, gang wars, or loot and dacoity — an increase in income level has time and again proved to be directly proportional to curbing these nefarious activities.
But there is one thing that registers spikes: the presence of missionaries and their helper non-governmental organisations (NGOs). For more than 95 percent of the last 200 years of Jharkhand’s existence, these NGOs and missionaries enjoyed almost indefinite power to run their agendas.
Their agenda is simple — convert as many people to Christianity as they can. In Jharkhand, it is the tribal population that becomes their ultimate target.
However, its history is much more complex. Experts believe that missionaries first set up their base in Jharkhand during the 19th century. In the initial few decades, they tried to convert tribals by preaching what they termed as the superiority of Jesus Christ.
It is pertinent to note that Jharkhand was just a node in many states missionaries picked as hotspots for their conversion activities. Northeastern states were the main target, and they were quite successful at that.
Today Nagaland has the highest proportion of its population following Christianity at 87.93 percent, followed by Mizoram at 87.16 percent, Meghalaya at 74.59 percent, Manipur at 41.29 percent, and Arunachal Pradesh at 30.26 percent. While you are reading this, a Western plan to carve out a separate Christian territory from the Northeast is underway.
However, in Jharkhand, showing Jesus Christ as superior did not work, and disrespecting tribals’ way of living caused many mini and large revolts. That is when they changed their strategy and decided to take the soft coercion route.
Evangelicals then presented Jesus Christ as relatable to tribals. Just as they trust their own Devi-Devtas for miracles, evangelicals conveyed that Jesus is also capable of doing the same. Even Mary, Jesus’ virgin mother, was repackaged as wearing clothes similar to tribal women.
To ensure that they could operate freely, it was important to shield tribals from modern development agendas.
Dr. Shailendra Kumar, author of the book “ईसावाद और औपनिवेशिक कानूनों के चक्रव्यूह में झारखंड,” writes that tenancy acts applied in Jharkhand were intended to halt the amalgamation of tribals with the rest of the world.
He elaborates that John Baptist Hoffmann, a priest, was the chief architect of the Chota Nagpur Tenancy Act (CNT Act). The CNT Act was brought in to restrict the transfer (buying and selling) of tribal lands to non-tribal people. The common-sense question is, why would a priest be interested in such a law?
The Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act (SPT Act) does the same job for people (mainly tribals) in the Santhal Pargana region.
On the surface, both these laws seem like noble attempts to protect the land rights of tribals. However, an unintended consequence is that industrialists are hesitant to invest in such places due to legal complications.
When development does not reach a place, it allows these conversion agents to emerge as saviors.
That is where foreign funding, NGOs, and their ground workers come into play. With massive foreign funding, evangelicals opened schools in which modern education began to be provided.
The problem is that along with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics, Christianity is also one of the subjects being taught to children. And who are these children? These are the kids of those who have left their traditions and joined Christianity.
Missionaries generally go to villages where poverty, malnutrition, illiteracy, and unemployment are extremely high — which is true for more than 95 percent of villages where tribals live. They will pick one village and “solve” their problems, for which they demand the villagers wear a cross.
Picking villages is essential since isolated cases of conversion lead to the converted family facing a social boycott. “That is why if you visit villages, you will find villages being either fully Christian or fully tribal,” said Ajay Munda of Kodarma district.
The funny videos of miracles by pastors you see on the internet are norms for people who are being coerced. “There are medical establishments that did not give medicine unless you went there with a cross around your neck,” said an old man named Rama Tudu.
Then there is the lure of a better life through education. For children of converted families, missionary schools either provide free education or charge minimal fees.
“If a kid studies in a missionary school, then that they will come out as someone who is at least half Christian. If not, then it is almost certain that they won’t be filled with endless love for Bharat,” said Dr. Shailendra Kumar.
The consequences of this draconian and coordinated modus operandi are extremely troubling. Here are a few cold, hard facts to understand them. All this data is from the 2011 Census conducted by the Indian Government:
Between 1971 and 2011, the share of Christians in Godda, Pakur, Sahebganj, and Dumka increased from two percent to six percent — a 200 percent increase in just four Censuses.
In the whole of Santhal Pargana, it increased from 1.55 percent to 4.21 percent between 1971 and 2011.
Out of 14.20 lakh Christians in Jharkhand, more than 8.6 lakh live in the Ranchi region, where their share of the population is 15.48 percent.
With 51.1 percent of the Christian population, Simdega is officially a Christian-majority district.
In nearby Khunti and Gumla, their share is 25.65 percent and 19.75 percent, respectively.
In the last two decades, the conversion mafia faced pushback from the BJP and RSS. They have gone to villages and organized Ghar Wapsi campaigns — a phenomenon which even caught the attention of The New York Times.
Despite that, between 2001 and 2011, the Christian population increased by 0.24 percent in the state. According to the 2011 Census, while Christians account for only 2.3 percent in the rest of India, in Jharkhand, their share in the population is remarkably high at 4.3 percent.
But that 4.3 percent sounds like an underestimation when state Chief Minister Hemant Soren himself said in 2011 that missionaries contribute 50 percent to the state’s education. Let us rephrase it: “Missionaries control 50 percent of the state’s education system.”
In that context, the Christian share of 4.3 percent of the state’s tribal population does not seem like a digestible fact. The doubt is bolstered by recent demands for maintaining reservations for SC and ST after they are brought into the Abrahamic fold.
Bizarre terms like Dalit Christian, in a religion supposedly free from this notion, can be heard on national television.
“What actually transpires is that when tribals are converted to Christianity, their practices change, but they are asked not to change their religion in official documents. Due to this Scheduled Tribes (who mainly convert to Christianity) are still able to afford government benefits like reservation,” said Mamta, a teacher whose colleagues have converted to Christianity.
In 2017, the BJP government passed an anti-conversion bill, which has been successful in curbing evangelical attempts. Keeping a tight vigil on foreign funding has also helped the cause.
However, they have not given up. The age-old issue of counting tribals under Sarna is being raised — allegedly by the pro-conversion lobby. Sarnaism focuses on the worship of nature, including sacred groves, trees, hills, and rivers.
It is practiced by tribals and is considered a part of Hinduism. However, there are disturbing attempts to dissociate the two and convince tribals that they are not Hindus. In Census registers, it is designated under the ‘Other Religions’ segment.
The 2011 Census put the share of Sarna practitioners in Jharkhand at 12.52 percent, which is a 0.48 percent decline from the 2001 Census. No points for guessing that once Sanatan and Sarna are officially separated, the RSS and other organizations will find it tough to stop the evangelical agenda.
Rekha Hembram, a vocal critic of evangelicals, said, “Sanatan is rooted in nature, and tribals are protectors of nature. There are some nefarious separatists who are trying to separate the two.”
Currently, the focus is mainly on Islamists changing the demographics in the state. However, it does not mean that missionaries are quiet. They are in a wait-and-watch mode.