GUWAHATI: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today attended as the chief guest an official function in the Guwahati Medical College & Hospital Auditorium to distribute grants-in-aid of Rs 10 lakh each to 18 organizations working in the field of indigenous and tribal faith and culture, Rs 5 lakh each to 73 places of worship related to indigenous and tribal beliefs, and an amount of Rs 2 crore to the Garchuk-based All Bathou Mahasabha.
Speaking at the event held under the aegis of the Government of Assam’s Directorate of Indigenous and Tribal Faith and Culture, the Chief Minister said the current dispensation in the State has been working relentlessly towards the preservation and propagation of indigenous and tribal beliefs and culture. The grants-in-aid distribution ceremony being held today manifests the commitment of the Government of Assam towards the indigenous and tribal communities, the Chief Minister stated.
The Chief Minister said indigenous and tribal faith and culture in the State have been prevalent for thousands of years and that all should come together to ensure these heritages are preserved for eternity without any dilution. The fact that, despite all adversities, indigenous and tribal beliefs and cultures have managed to survive for so long is a manifestation of the inherent powers of such beliefs and practises.
Referring to Article 25 of the Indian Constitution, which confers one with the right to freely practise, profess, and propagate a religion of choice, the Chief Minister stated it doesn’t authorise religious conversion through inducement or allurement of any sort. The Chief Minister stated that the trend of religious conversion observed among many of the indigenous and tribal communities of the State has led to the dilution of their traditional beliefs and practises. He also made a fervent appeal to the caste Hindu and Christian denominations to refrain from sanskritization and Christianization attempts through various means, including allurement through material and similar offerings. Religious conversions have led to the near extinction of many indigenous faiths across the world, the Chief Minister said, adding that he was, however, not opposed to people converting to another religion on their own free will and informed choice. There is ample space in society for diverse faiths to grow and develop together, he added. Stating that it is religion that creates culture and not the other way around, the Chief Minister stressed the need for one to stay rooted in the beliefs and faiths of his or her ancestors for culture to thrive and propagate from one generation to another.
He said that in the days to come, the Government of Assam would provide financial assistance to many other indigenous and tribal organisations. The Chief Minister further added that by the end of the year, the Government of Assam would be holding a festival to showcase the numerous indigenous faiths and tribal cultural practises that have hitherto escaped popular imaginations. He further expressed his desire to organise an indigenous and tribal sports festival aimed at reviving games that once dominated the rural landscapes of the State.
The event was also attended by Minister of Welfare of Plain Tribes and Backward Classes UG Brahma, Minister of Power Nandita Gorlosa, Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Ashok Singhal, Member of Parliament and Political Secretary to Chief Minister Pabitra Margherita, Chief Executive of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council Tuliram Ronghang, Member of Legislative Assembly Manab Deka, and a host of other dignitaries, a press release said.
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