If you trust BJP, then Gandhi called tribals dumb, ignorant and illiterate; of course, it’s a lie

If the Jharkhand Government is to be believed, Mahatma Gandhi had a very poor opinion of ‘Adivasis’ or tribals.

In full-page advertisements published on the front pages of all leading newspapers in Jharkhand on August 11, Gandhi is quoted as saying the following:

• Adivasis are ignorant, innocent, not knowledgeable and poor
• They cannot differentiate between Jesus and Prophet Mohammed
• They are not competent to comprehend your sermons
• They are dumb and ‘simple’ (simpletons?) like cows
• They get converted to Christianity because of ‘Chawal’ (rice) that you hold to them as a carrot

It is claimed that Mahatma Gandhi, who was indeed against religious conversion, had asked Christian missionaries to try and convert him and his long-term secretay Mahadev Desai.

But as outrage mounts and people protest against this brazen attempt to misuse and distort the words of the Mahatma, people claimed that the passage attributed to Gandhi is actually taken from a book written by RSS Pracharak Devendra Swarup, Gandhi Ji: Hind Swaraj Se Nehru Tak.

“This is not the language used by Mahatma Gandhi. This is the language of the RSS,” pointed out a statement issued on Saturday by a number of prominent citizens including internationally known economist Jean Dreze, who is teaching in Ranchi University.

The advertisement flaunts the photograph of chief minister Raghubar Das and Mahatma Gandhi. It also allegedly misquotes former Union Minister and Congress leader late Kartick Oraon. Referring to an essay he had written, the advertisement claims that Oraon had spoken out against conversion.

The critics say that, on the contrary, in the essay ‘Adivasi Hindu Nahin Hain’, Oraon had objected to the RSS describing ‘Adivasis’ as ‘Vanvasi Hindus’. It was an insult to declare Adivasis, who worship nature, as Hindus, Oraon had stated.

Accusing the Jharkhand Government of misusing public funds to promote the divisive agenda of the RSS, the statement seeks a public apology from the Chief Minister.

Chief Minister Raghubar Das must publicly apologise for the deliberate distortion and using public money to issue a mischievous and misleading advertisement.

The Jharkhand High Court should take suo motu cognizance of the advertisement and issue notice to the Government

The Jharkhand Government should withdraw the ill-conceived anti-conversion Bill that has been approved by the cabinet.

The Jharkhand Government’s ill-conceived move to tamper with Chotanagpur and Santhal Pargana Tenancy Acts to make it easier for the government to acquire tribal land, was withdrawn last month following public pressure.

In a scathing commentary in The Wire, Apoorvanand writes:

“Let us leave Gandhi aside for a moment. Irrespective of what he said or felt, this government and the chief minister must withdraw the advertisement and apologise to the Christians of Jharkhand and India as it directly targets Christian religious institutions. This misuse of the state apparatus to attack a section of society is so brazen and blatant that it takes your breath away. Christians, including the missionaries among them, are legitimate citizens of this country and pay their taxes. This advertisement is funded by the state, which means that suspicion, malice and hatred against the Christians is being created using their own money. As if they are being made to dig their own grave.”

The comment can be accessed here:

The commentary goes on to provide the context in which Mahatma Gandhi had made certain observations and reproduces a conversation he had with an American evangelist.