02-18-2006, 01:06 AM
http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?...ess=1&id=107024
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Sangh eyes Orissa tribals
Statesman News Service
BERHAMPUR, Feb. 16. â By organising a grand celebration of the birth centenary of the second RSS chief, MS Golwalkar, in April, the Sangh Parivar is seeking to cement its support base in Orissa in a big way.
The president of the organising committee of the celebrations and former chief of the Orissa unit of the RSS, Mr Sibaram Mohapatra, said the event would be held at Chakapada in the tribal district of Kandhamal from 8 to 10 April.
That they have chosen the tribal area as the venue for the celebration shows that the Sangh Parivar is aiming to attract the downtrodden towards the organisation.
Sangh Parivar plans to make it a big affair by roping in the RSS chief, Mr KS Sudarshan, and the VHP leader, Mr Ashok Singhal along with the Puri Sankaracharya, Nischalananada Saraswati.
Kandhamal district was a scene of conflict between the Sangh Parivar and Christian missionaries whom the former accuses of engaging in largescale conversion of tribals. The Christian missionaries, active in Kandhamal district, allege that they were being attacked by members of the Saffron Brigade. As is the case, the plans of the Sangh Parivar are surely going to make the situation volatile in the Kandhamal district.
Sangh Parivar also plans to take out eight rath yatras â which would converge at Chakapada â to precede the centenary celebrations. The chariots would traverse rural and tribal areas of the state. With an aim to winning the hearts of believers, all the chariots are named after famous goddesses of different areas in Orissa.
While Bimala rath will start from Puri, Tara Tarini rath will start from Ganjam district. The rath that would be flagged off from Jajpur is named after Biraja. Cuttack will see the Chandi rath chug along to Chakapada.
While the Patneswari rath will move from Sonepur district, Tarini rath will be from Ghatagaon in Keonjhar district. The Samaleswari rath will depart from Sambalpur, while Manikeeswari rath will leave from Malkangiri district.
Mr Mohapatra said all the yatras will converge at Chakapada on 8 April. As part of the celebrations, the Sangh Parivar has also decided to install the idols of Shiva Lingam and Adi Shankaracharya at Chakapada.
A big health camp will so be organised in Chakapada for the benefit of the poor and the tribals during the three-day function.
When asked whether reconversions would be conducted in Chakapada during the celebrations, Mr Mohapatra replied that although there was no programme as such, if any repentant person wanted to come back to the Hindu fold, ceremonies would be held for it during the celebrations.
He alleged that largescale conversion of tribals was continuing in Kandhamal district by exploiting the poverty of tribals. To check it, the Sangh Parivar has recently started imparting vocational training to the tribals to make them economically self-sufficient, he said. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Sangh eyes Orissa tribals
Statesman News Service
BERHAMPUR, Feb. 16. â By organising a grand celebration of the birth centenary of the second RSS chief, MS Golwalkar, in April, the Sangh Parivar is seeking to cement its support base in Orissa in a big way.
The president of the organising committee of the celebrations and former chief of the Orissa unit of the RSS, Mr Sibaram Mohapatra, said the event would be held at Chakapada in the tribal district of Kandhamal from 8 to 10 April.
That they have chosen the tribal area as the venue for the celebration shows that the Sangh Parivar is aiming to attract the downtrodden towards the organisation.
Sangh Parivar plans to make it a big affair by roping in the RSS chief, Mr KS Sudarshan, and the VHP leader, Mr Ashok Singhal along with the Puri Sankaracharya, Nischalananada Saraswati.
Kandhamal district was a scene of conflict between the Sangh Parivar and Christian missionaries whom the former accuses of engaging in largescale conversion of tribals. The Christian missionaries, active in Kandhamal district, allege that they were being attacked by members of the Saffron Brigade. As is the case, the plans of the Sangh Parivar are surely going to make the situation volatile in the Kandhamal district.
Sangh Parivar also plans to take out eight rath yatras â which would converge at Chakapada â to precede the centenary celebrations. The chariots would traverse rural and tribal areas of the state. With an aim to winning the hearts of believers, all the chariots are named after famous goddesses of different areas in Orissa.
While Bimala rath will start from Puri, Tara Tarini rath will start from Ganjam district. The rath that would be flagged off from Jajpur is named after Biraja. Cuttack will see the Chandi rath chug along to Chakapada.
While the Patneswari rath will move from Sonepur district, Tarini rath will be from Ghatagaon in Keonjhar district. The Samaleswari rath will depart from Sambalpur, while Manikeeswari rath will leave from Malkangiri district.
Mr Mohapatra said all the yatras will converge at Chakapada on 8 April. As part of the celebrations, the Sangh Parivar has also decided to install the idols of Shiva Lingam and Adi Shankaracharya at Chakapada.
A big health camp will so be organised in Chakapada for the benefit of the poor and the tribals during the three-day function.
When asked whether reconversions would be conducted in Chakapada during the celebrations, Mr Mohapatra replied that although there was no programme as such, if any repentant person wanted to come back to the Hindu fold, ceremonies would be held for it during the celebrations.
He alleged that largescale conversion of tribals was continuing in Kandhamal district by exploiting the poverty of tribals. To check it, the Sangh Parivar has recently started imparting vocational training to the tribals to make them economically self-sufficient, he said. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->