India's tribal Christians stage a protest against violent attacks against them in front of the district collector's office in Narayanpur, Chhattisgarh state, on Dec. 18, 2022. (Photo supplied)
Tribal Christians in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh are allegedly being denied livelihood opportunities in a district that witnessed violence and social boycotts against them in December last year.
Nine Christian families from Garanji village on April 17 filed a complaint with the top revenue officer in Narayanpur district saying they were being denied employment as manual laborers because of their faith.
In their written complaint, the families have named Gopal Dugga, head of the village council, for depriving them of work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) Act 2005, a law that guarantees Indian citizens the right to work.
Dugga and other influential villagers were targeting them for being Christians, the families said, and added they will be taking legal action against all those discriminating against them.
The MGNREGS Act aims at enhancing the livelihood security of poor people in rural areas by guaranteeing hundred days of wage employment in a financial year.
The nine Christian families alleged they were facing the brunt of an undeclared ban because of their faith and thus denied livelihood opportunities in the village.
The Narayanpur district had witnessed mass violence against the tribal Christians by people who follow the traditional animist religion and want them to give up their faith.
“The tribal Christians are already disturbed by the attacks on them in December last year and January this year. On top of it all, denying them work would mean pushing them into extreme poverty, even starvation,” Arun Pannalal, president of the Chhattisgarh Christian Forum told UCA News on April 21.
Pannalal, a Christian lay leader called the situation “very unfortunate” and blamed it on “the complete failure of the Chhattisgarh state government” to take action against those targeting Christians.
“Hindu nationalists allege Christians convert others to their faith, but the fact is in Chhattisgarh it is they who are forcing tribal people to embrace Hinduism,” he said.
Father Nicholas Barla, secretary of the Indian Catholic bishops’ Commission for Tribal Affairs, lauded the courage of the tribal Christian families to write to the top revenue official in the district to seek justice.
“It is a good sign and the district administration must ensure them their right to work,” he said.
Meanwhile, the tribal Christians in Naryanpur district said they were not getting work as casual laborers collecting tobacco leaves or other minor forest produce, besides casual jobs in local mines.
This caused them financial worries even while they stared at an uncertain future, tribal Christian leaders said.
At least 300 families from Narayanpur and Kondegaon districts in Chhattisgarh were forced to abandon their homes and villages due to social boycotts and targeted violence since December last year by local political outfits influenced by Hindu nationalist ideology.
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