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When fine breeze turned into violent storm

P Dev Kumar in Dangs

Fine breeze. That's what Ahwa, the headquarters of the trouble-torn Dangs district, means.

But there is nothing mild and breezy about the area anymore. More like a violent storm, it is, the wind that lashes this once quiet Gujarat township of 15,000.

Over 20 per cent of the 311 villages in this tribal district have been affected by the clash between Hindus and Christians. The police have arrested 158 persons in 38 different cases. All the incidents are confined to a pocket situated north-north east of Ahwa, which has only a panchayat.

The total population of the Dangs district is around 170,000. It was 144,000 as per the 1991 census.

Manoj Sashidher, the new superintendent of police, who was rushed here from Saurashtra, told visiting journalists that there was damage worth Rs 370,000. Of this, a burnt jeep and motor cycle, and a vandalised school at Subir account for Rs 219,000.

The damage control action is on in full swing. The government has launched a shramdan (free labour) involving people of both communities to repair damaged churches and temples.

There is only one church in Ahwa, constructed way back in 1904. It has not been touched at all. The damaged prayer halls are all bamboo structures, an extension of someone's house with a cross nailed to it.

While the Church of Northern India's Father Gaikwad agreed to co-operate with the administration in the shramdan, the Catholic Church refused. Fr Gaikwad is a Protestant and they have a significant presence in the area.

Ghelubhai Nayak, a Sarvodaya leader, came to Dangs at the instance of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Mahatma Gandhi in 1948. He has been working for the tribals since then. In his memorandum to the members of the National Mimorities Commission dated January 7, Nayak said there was ''no dearth of evidence'' to prove that the violence was a ''reaction to the organised conversion activities of the Christian missions.''

''They have been using a curious mix of blind faith and allurements to entice the innocent tribals into the Christian faith,'' the memorandum said.

Striking a confident note that peace would return, Nayak asserted that conversions must be stopped as a confidence building measure.

He told the Minorities Commission that in the past three years there had been 15 instances in Dangs where ''the Christians, under the influence of their preachers, have desecrated idols of Lord Hanuman, who is worshipped in this area by a large section of tribals for ages".

It is said that Lord Rama and Hanuman had spent quite some time in these jungles during his exile.

Nayak said he had warned the local administration about an attempt in October 1998 to disturb peace by some Christians when they allegedly beat up a local when he ''refused'' to marry his son to the daughter of a Christian. ''The Christians of Linga have also been opposing the construction of a Hanuman temple on a piece of land which is owned by the Raja of Linga, Bhanwar Singh."

To bring the two communities together, the administration is organising a Lok mela (people's meeting) in the first week of February.

In the second week, it would organise an international seminar on medicinal plants. The district abounds with plants useful for Ayurvedic medicines, and leading pharmaceutical firms are expected to participate in it. This, collector Gupta says, will provide jobs to the tribals of Dangs, which has been declared a ''no industry district.''

Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel, meanwhile, says his government is examining any ''international conspiracy'' to disturb peace in Dangs. He has set up peace committees to reduce ill feeling between the aggrieved parties. He is confident that the shramdan would send positive signals.

An additional 500 jawans of the state reserve police have been deployed in the district, and a new post of deputy superintendent of police created.

At the state capital, a secretary has been put in charge of Dangs.

Patel said the December 25 incident might be an aftermath of the assembly approving the Bhuria Commission report relating to de-linking contract system in Dangs. Accordingly, gram sabhas will award contracts for the exploitation of forest goods and construction of roads. The new system came into being in July.

''Some people are worried by this decision. They might have instigated the innocent tribals,'' Patel said.

However, conversion was the main issue. ''They are exploiting the ignorance and simplicity of the tribals,'' Patel charged.

UNI

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