Minorities8217; forum to protest attack on Christians

NASHIK, March 19: The Adivasi, Dalit, OBC, Minorities Forum has organised an Ishara Warning Parishad8217; in Peth on March 28 to protest against the resent attacks on Christian tribals in the taluka. The parishad is being held on the eve of the March 31 deadline8217; fixed by Hindu fundamentalist organisations, which have ordered Christian missionaries the leave the area.

Convenor of the Forum Vilas Sonawane told mediapersons here today that Hindu fundamentalist organisations had become aggressive ever since the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition government assumed power at the Centre and had been forcing tribals in various parts of the country to convert to Hinduism.

Instead of understanding why tribals and dalits were deserting Hinduism, the Hindutva brigade has forcibly branded the adivasis as Hindus, he claimed. On October 16, 1998, a group of persons from Kayare Sadadpada village had attacked Christian tribals and damaged their church when the converted tribals refused to participate in an annualtribal festival there. On January 5 a Hindutva outfit issued an ultimatum8217; to the missionaries, ordering them to leave the taluka by March 31.