Bhubaneswar. The whole Vanavasi (forest dweller) community belongs to Hindu religion and they should not shun it, opined Jati Janajati Suraksha Manch national coordinator Dr Raj Kishore Hansda during his two-day visit to the State, which ended on Saturday. Hansda attended two meetings of village heads and priests at Vanavasi Kalyan Ashrams of Bangiriposi in Mayurbhanj district and Saragada of Bijatola block where he applauded Santal, Munda and other tribal communities for upholding their tradition and culture despite poverty and all other odds.
“Some so-called educated persons of our community are trying to separate the janajati samaj from the Hindu origin and naming it (janajati samaj) as Sarana for their personal interest at the behest of foreign entities. They should understand that Sarana is not a religion rather name of a religious place like Jahira, Majhi and Gramadevi peeth. We all janajati people belong to Sanatan Hindu, which is well understood from our lifestyle and religious rituals from birth to death,” Dr Hansda said.
He called upon all vanavasi people to be educated and united to uphold and protect their age old tradition and culture. Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram organising secretary Mahiram Mohant, Mayurbhanj district vice president Kali Charan Hembram, social activist Paban Kumar Gupta, local activist Dakshin Murmu, district organizer Baisakh Sardar and Balaram Murmu and media coordinator Niranjan Nayak were present.
