No Kandmal here just politics

Arjun Munda’s meet with Cardinal raises eyebrows in State BJP

Is Munda writing another political script

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Thursday, October 30, 2008

The meeting of Arjun Munda, the senior BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, with Cardinal Telesphore Toppo last Saturday in the State capital has brought Munda under the line of fire and has created ruffle among the top rungs of the State BJP and RSS.

Although Munda termed the meeting as ‘formal’ and said the duo “discussed the issue of the tribal welfare and unity”, but the party insiders hinted that the meeting was a serious political move of Munda through which he tried to score several points- a secular credential to expand his reach among tribal Christians as well as a veiled hint to the BJP about his original ideological mooring of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM). Even senior party leaders accepted it was politically a wrong step that would damage Munda and the BJP in the long run. The meeting has left party leaders guessing whether Munda wanted to write another political script.

But not concerned with what Munda achieved out of this meeting, hardliners and the tribal leaders of the party who in the past locked horns with Christian missionaries over the issue of reservation given to the ‘converted tribal Christians’ of Jharkhand and their alleged conversion of Sarna tribals into Christianity and also the remarks made against Sarna religion in Nemha Bible, have questioned purpose of the meeting.

Criticizing Munda for his meeting with the cardinal without due permission of the party, the senior BJP leader and MLA, Karia Munda said that it might send wrong signal among the party workers and voters- the party is no more the protector of Sarna religion and many such others. Agreeing to what Karia Munda apprehended, a senior party leader said that the meeting has set Munda in contrast as a week back Munda projected himself as a hardliner during his address to the ‘Sarna Mahapanchyat’, a conglomerate of Sarna tribal groups where he categorically blamed missionaries for offending the sentiments of Sarna and categorically repeated party’s unquestionable support to them.

Giving Munda a tough time to explain his stand another tribal BJP MLA, Chandresh Oraon demanded Munda to reposition his stand. “I will raise this matter in the meeting of the ‘working committee’ of the party… this is up to party to decide how does it see this visit which took place without the prior permission of the party.” Appearing belligerent Oraon added that tribal leaders of the party would continue their fight to protect saran religion and its followers.

The meeting had no sanction of the State BJP nor Munda seems to have informed about his intention to the party leaders, a fact indirectly admitted by the BJP State president of the party PN Singh who said that he needed to talk to Munda in this regard.

The meeting took place at a time when the RSS has decided to undertake a nation wise ‘sit in demonstration’ programme at district headquarters from November 7 against the killing of the VHP leader Swami Laxmananand Saraswati. Even though, the RSS has not yet reacted over this, but sources confirmed the meeting of new RSS pracharak, Mithilesh with Munda on last Sunday. What exactly transpired in the meeting and its content is not known but the well-placed sources confirmed RSS has not taken this issue lightly. Refusing to say anything on this issue Mithilesh reacted with “no comment over this issue as we have nothing to do with this issue.”