The opposition CPI(M)  has expressed grave concern over demand of delisting Christians from ST status raised by ‘Janajati Suraksha Mancha’ and claimed that a section of people were trying to create communal disharmony in Tripura over issues such as a demand to remove converted tribals from the Scheduled Tribes list and a controversy involving an ancient structure that was allegedly  a mosque.

Addressing a press conference at CPI(M) headquarters in Agartala on Monday afternoon, CPI(M) state secretary and MLA Jitendra Chaudhury accompanied by party leader and former MLA Sudhan Das said that Janajati Suraksha Mancha (JSM), a RSS affiliated tribal organization has announced to organize a rally in Agartala on coming Christmas day on December 25 next with demand of delisting Christians from Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

He said that CPI (M) strongly opposed this type of divisive communal programme on Christmas day, which is celebrated as a public holiday and festival in countries around the world.

“The demand of delisting Christians from ST list is unconstitutional and fixation of the date of rally on particular day is communal and provocative. It is our tradition that many non-Christians also celebrate the Christmas Day as ‘Bada Din’ every year. So the said anit-Christian programme of the JSM will disrupt the festival which will be against our tradition in the state,” said Chaudhury.

His comments came days after the Janajati Suraksha Mancha, a tribal Hindutva organisation, said it would go ahead with its plan to hold a rally on Christmas Day demanding that tribals who have converted to religions other than Hinduism be removed from the Scheduled Tribes (ST) status, despite protests from all the opposition parties.

The CPI (M) has opposed the demand and said the government should not give permission for the rally and also alleged a “deep-rooted conspiracy by communal forces” behind the demand to deny ST status to Christian converts.

He said that no religion should be disrupted in practicing religious customs and CPI(M) always uphold secular principles of the country.

ST list is prepared on the basis of backward ethnicities and not on the basis of any religion, thus the demand for delisting Christian is unjustified, said Chaudhury.

He further cautioned that if the ST Christians are excluded from ST list, the tribal population will further be decreased and proportionate reservation Parliament and Assembly seats, in employment and education etc will also be reduced which will have disastrous effect on the tribals.

“Land alienation and eviction is one of the major problems in the tribals in the country, tribal land is not transferable to the non-tribals. If the Christian tribals lose their ST recognition, their land will be transferable to the non-tribals and it will pave the way of land alienation again, so their demand is suicidal for the tribals, opinioned Chaudhury.

Chaudhury also sought the Chief Minister’s intervention to stop such divisive rally on the day of Christmas, which will create religious unrest in the state.

 While, CPI(M) leader highlighted the temple controversy involving an ancient structure that he said was a mosque, Chaudhury said that a ‘Sanghati Mela (fair) had been held every year near the structure since 1993 and that people from all communities had participated in it.

But some organizations allegedly backed by the ruling party have claimed the structure in Dimatoli Gram panchayat under South Tripura district’s Rajnagar block is a Jagannath temple, said Chaudhury and  alleged that Muslims were recently not allowed to offer prayers there.

 Tripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha recently went to the Mela, where he was gifted a picture of the ancient mosque, which was then claimed to be a Jagannath temple. It was divisive attempts to disturb religious harmony in the state. CPI(M) leaders  requested the Chief Minister to prevent this attempt by a section of people to break unity.

He also said that he wants to tell the DGP that it is a cognizable offence and police cannot prevent Muslims from offering their prayers at that place.