Ranchi, Feb. 1: The Vanvasi Kalyan Kendra, which is celebrating its golden jubilee this year, has been striving to unite all the Scheduled Tribes in the state.

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee visited the capital as part of the kendra’s celebrations. According to kendra official Pranay Dutta, there were 1,793 units, with 295 full-time workers, of which 162 were tribals. He said the kendra was organising programmes and day-to-day activities in 9,600 villages. “Our aim is to preserve the cultural and social identity of tribals,” he said.

Dutta said, “While there is a need to preserve the tradition with modern advancement we want to harmonise tradition with modernity. Another kendra member said the main activities of the kendra were related to education and literacy. “We have opened many informal schools (Ekal Vidyalay) in remote villages of the state, as we feel that education alone can ameliorate the lives of tribals,” he said. There were 551 Ekal Vidyalayas in the state in which more than 22,000 children received education. Nine students founded the organisation on December 26, 1952 in which former Maharaj of Jashpur Vijay Bhushan Singh Deo played a crucial role.

The kendra runs health centres in remote areas. There are as many as 62 daily health centres, 459 weekly health centres and four hospitals. The kendra was opposed to conversions. “Everybody has the right to claim that his religion is right but he has no right to say others are wrong. Christian missionaries are involved in conversions. We will not allow it to happen,” said a worker.

Trip to Delhi

Hours after Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee left for Thiruvananthapuram, chief minister Arjun Munda, his predecessor Babulal Marandi, state unit BJP chief Abhay Kant Prasad, Union minister for non conventional energy Karia Munda, organising secretary Hriday Nath Singh and senior party leader Saryu Rai left for Delhi for a meeting with BJP president Venkaiah Naidu tomorrow. Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani was also likely to address the meeting.