Q: Are RSS people very alive in Arunachal? Is the ruling BJP government implementing the party ideology?

A: “With a BJP government with absolute majority at Itanagar, is RSS active in the state? Naturally they are active. How successful are they to sell the Hindutva ideology to the tribals? Hindu agencies like Rama Krishna Mission have been very active in Arunachal Pradesh for decades. They have also done very credi-table developmental work by providing much needed medical and educational services to the state. But the tribal population did not opt for Hinduism for rea-sons best known to them. However many tribals opted for Christianity before the much maligned missionaries set foot in Arunachal to set up schools or other service centres. Mr Gopalakrishnan should one day visit Arunachal and ask these tribal people what made them opt for Christianity. The fact that many Christians are MLAs in the ruling party and many fervent Christians are act-ive members of BJP at the district and state level may be baffling to an outsider. But an insider knows that these people are not follow-ing BJP because of its Hindutva agenda. This was clear from the Chief Mini-ster’s statement on the matter of cow slaughter when he categorically affir-med that his Government will not interfere with the food habits of the people. Mr Kiren Rijiju also said the same. So, in Arunachal Pradesh, the BJP is in power riding piggy back on economic expediency than on Hindutva ideology. Hence the pushers of Hindutva ideology will not find much support in a population that has a significant Christian segment. No MLA can hope to win an election after antagoni-zing the Christians at large. So, political expediency will not allow the present leaders to take a RSS promoted antichristian stand.”

Bp John Thomas Kattrukudiyil,
Itanagar