A 'Hypocritical' Demand?

Hindu nationalists demand the denial of reservations to Christian and Muslim tribals even as they pursue their own "reconversion" drive

- Snigdhendu Bhattacharya, Shweta Desai and Ashghar Khan

PRAKASH Singh Uikey, a former District and Sessions Court Judge in Madhya Pradesh, has emerged as one of the prominent spokespersons of tribal Hinduism ever since he quit his job and joined the Hindu nationalist forces in the middle of 2023. Tribals are Hindus, he asserts and demands that tribal people who converted to Christianity or Islam be denied the benefits of reservation.

"As per Constitutional provisions, tribal students are getting free books and scholarships from taxpayers' money. They enjoy certain reservations in the education sector. Are you paying the taxes for charity?" he asked in a speech that his organisation, the Janajati Suraksha Manch (JSM), circulated through social media platforms in May 2024.

"For 75 years, tribals who converted to Islam three generations ago have been enjoying the benefits of reservation for tribals... using these reservations, they reach higher posts. Who do they support? They support Imran and Ishtaq," said Uikey, alluding to Muslims. He added that Christian civil service officers with a tribal background "will always tell people to visit churches".

The JSM is backed by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological mentor of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Uikey contested the 2023 Madhya Pradesh election on a BJP ticket from the tribal-concentrated constituency of Pandhurna, but lost. He is part of the JSM central leadership.

The Supreme Court of India had earlier ruled that tribal people who have adopted Christianity, or any other religion, continue to remain tribals and eligible for reservation benefits granted by the Constitution.

However, the JSM has been busy building a nationwide movement among tribal people demanding an amendment to Article 342 of the Indian Constitution, which deals with the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs).