RSS-backed Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram to counter ‘misinformation’ about UCC in tribal areas

New Delhi: The RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram (VKA), which is demanding the ‘delisting’ of converted tribals from the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list, has decided to launch an awareness campaign to remove any ‘misconceptions’ regarding ‘delisting’ of tribals as well as ‘misinformation’ about the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC).

The UCC refers to a common set of laws on marriage, divorce, and inheritance that would be applicable to all Indian citizens, irrespective of religion, rather than the community-specific personal laws that presently govern such matters.

The debate on Uniform Civil Code got reignited after the Pushkar Singh Dhami government in Uttarakhand became the first BJP-ruled state to introduce the UCC.

“Those who have converted are spreading misinformation that delisting (to ensure those who have converted are deprived of reservation) is a ploy to divide the tribal population. They are also spreading rumours about implementation of UCC and how it will put an end to the customary laws being followed by the tribal community,” alleged a senior VKA functionary.

After Uttarakhand, the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) demand has gained momentum with many in the BJP claiming that its election promise will be delivered once the party is voted back to power.

One of the BJP’s key manifesto promises has been the UCC implementation, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing party workers in Bhopal in June, had made a strong push for it too.

As per the 2011 Census, scheduled tribes make up close to nine percent of the country’s population. A total of 47 seats of 543 are reserved for Scheduled Tribes in the Lok Sabha.

“The converted (STs) fear that they will lose the reservation benefits and hence are busy spreading misinformation about other issues to divert the attention such as the UCC. Bharatiya Janata Party MP Sushil Kumar Modi, who was the chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the law, had clearly talked about keeping tribals out of the ambit of the UCC so the question itself doesn’t arise at all,” a second VKA functionary said.

The functionary cited the example of Uttarakhand which approved the implementation of UCC and has kept tribals out of its ambit.

“To begin with, we will be forming committees at the panchayat level across the country. These panels will interact and apprise villagers about the real situation — that UCC will not affect their customs and laws. At the same time, they will discuss the Uttarakhand model wherein tribals are kept out of UCC purview. There are many political elements who are spreading misleading information. We are simply reaching out to the public and putting the record straight,” he said.

In Jharkhand itself, the target is to reach out to 700-800 gram panchayats. The RSS affiliated organisation is hoping to reach out to 10,000 gram panchayats across the country.

VKA functionaries will hold meetings at the village level with the tribal community and stress how tribals should be wary of such ‘misinformation’, according to the plan.

Though the meeting will take place across the country, a special focus will be on states that have a sizable tribal population. These include Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan, and Odisha, said the second functionary.

“We will also reach out to the villagers and make them aware of the plans of Christian missionaries who are trying to convert them in masses by spreading rumours. They are trying to cut off the tribal community from the broader Hindu religion,” said the functionary.

Tribal groups, including many allies of the BJP especially in the North-East have been ‘sceptical’ of the BJP’s push for UCC.

Last year, Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, in its submission to the Law Commission, had said that the UCC should not undermine any of the provisions in the Constitution aimed at the welfare of the tribal community. It had also requested the panel to visit tribal areas to understand their customs and concerns. The 22nd Law Commission had sought views from the public and religious organisations on the UCC on 14 June.

(Edited by Tony Rai)