Ex-MLA Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit has attacked Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over the latter’s contention that India’s Muslims and Christians were descendants of Hindus, calling the statement misleading and contrary to the facts.
Sarma had reportedly said this on Saturday.
“This not only confirms the motive of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but also reveals Biswa Sarma’s shallow understanding of the religious and cultural practices of the tribal people of the North Eastern states. I would also like to remind Sarma that tribals are neither Hindus nor Muslims,” Basaiawmoit said.
The former MLA said that this had been made very clear during the debates in the constituent assembly.
He quoted an excerpt from what had been stated by Rev JJM Nichols Roy about the cultural practices of the tribal people in the North East: “The Hindus do not eat beef but the tribesmen do, the Muslims do not eat pork but the tribal people do. Therefore, these people cannot be either Hindus or Muslims.”
“Therefore, to make a statement that Christians were Hindus is erroneous and unfounded, especially the hill tribals of North Eastern India,” Basaiawmoit said today.
