aiming for poachers?

Jamshedpur, April 2: Over 400 tribals today assembled here and discussed the dual contentious topics ? active involvement of church in the ?Ho? religion and eating up of government jobs reserved for tribals by their Christian counterparts.

The religious meet was organised by Uprum Jumur, youth wing of Adivasi Ho Samaj Mahasabha, in which tribals following Sarna religion congregated to chart out strategies to counter the problems faced by tribals in the Ho-dominated West Singhbhum district.

The contentious issues were discussed at length and attempts were made to chalk out plans to counter the threat posed by the church to the tribals.

One of the leading churches of the district infuriated the tribals when it celebrated the Maghe festival on its premises recently.

The celebration sparked off a controversy among the followers of Sarna religion, who alleged that the Christians have started ?poaching into their community?.

?The church is hurting the sentiments of innocent tribals by organising Maghe festival,? Uprum Jumur president Sushil Kumar Purty said.

The non-Christian tribals also allege that highly educated Christians grab sizeable vacancy of jobs at state and central levels.

?Earlier, the Christians robbed the tribals of government jobs, but now they have started poaching into our religion,? Purty said.

He pointed out that today?s meet was aimed at informing the tribals about the threats looming from other sections of society, particularly Christian tribals.

?In the next religious meeting, the tribals would chart out their strategy to counter these vexing problems.? Purty further said.

In the meantime, a senior member of the Adivasi Ho Samaj Mahasabha revealed that some politicians belonging to the ruling party had sponsored today?s religion meet.

He added that the said politicians want to divide the tribals and their Chris- tian counterparts on religious line.