Majuli Session Court slaps fine on Xatradhikar Janardhan Dev Goswami

CONVERSION OF RELIGION IN MAJULI

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: A warrior against alluring religious conversion, Xatradhikar Janardhan Dev Goswami, has been fined Rs 10,500 by the Majuli Session Court on the charge of "his involvement in the dismantling of a makeshift church" in the largest riverine island of Majuli. The Court delivered its verdict on Friday.

In his reaction to the Court's verdict, the Xatradhikar said that he had all along been fighting against "alluring religious conversion and would continue to do it". He, however, said that he was never involved in dismantling of any church. He further said that he would challenge the Majuli Session Court's verdict in the Gauhati High Court.

When asked by The Sentinel on the development, the Xatradhikar of Dakshin Grihashrami Xatra of Majuli, Janardhan Dev Goswami, said, "Majuli is the nerve centre of Vaishnavite culture of Srimanta Sankardev. If the conversion of Hindus into Christianity continues unabated here, the Vaishnavite culture will be extinct on this river island.

"In October 2018 a newly converted Christian, Prasanta Payeng, erected a makeshift Church on Xatra land. Payeng, however, kept claiming the land to be his. When a few people of the river island went to dismantle the Church, a scuffle followed. I wasn't on the spot. However, when Payeng lodged an FIR in the police station in that connection, he included my name also among the accused stating that I provoked the people to dismantle the Church. After hearing both the parties, the Court delivered its verdict on Friday."

When asked as to why a number of churches have been set up in the riverine island, the Xatradhikar said, "Maybe, some of those at the helm of affairs of Xatras kept the Mising people at a distance in social life. They were poor and less educated. Taking that advantage, Christian missions adopted alluring tactics like offering them facilities, besides setting up educational institutions and then churches. At present, the riverine island has 12 major churches either on government land or lands belonging to xatras. They could do it at ease with the help of a few local brokers."

The verdict of the Court has created an uneasy calm in the island. Reacting to the Court's verdict, the Asom Hindu Yuva-Chatra Parishad (AHYCP) said that "the fine imposed on the Xatradhikar by the Court is a matter to be ashamed of. His is a battle against the alluring tactics of religious conversion. With as many as 30 churches set up on the riverine Island as against the 34 xatras, the place is now a place where Raaxleela and X-mas are celebrated almost on an equal footing. Despite the situation coming to such a pass, no tangible measures have been taken by the State government to preserve the distinct Vaishnavite culture of Majuli."

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