Not many people outside Gujarat and even within this western Indian state itself know that there is a Christian Member of the Legislative Assembly in the Hindutva laboratory – one who has won four terms in a row. And that is perhaps because of his common tribal identity.
Punaji Gamit, 56, a Protestant, represents Vyara, a constituency in the tribal-dominated Tapi district of South Gujarat. He happens to be a convert – like 30% of others in his constituency.
So not many people know that these days Gujarat’s sole Christian assemblyman is losing sleep over an issue — the demand for delisting converts like him from the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list — which has serious ramifications for him and other converts. This demand is being pushed by Janjati Su-raksha Manch (JSM), an outfit backed by the powerful right-wing Hindu group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
Despite being the only Christian MLA, Gamit has not emerged as the voice and face of the Christian community. The Dalit community, which accounts for 7.5% of the population, has an iconic figure in the outspoken Jignesh Mevani.
Though about 60 Christian organiza-tions in South Gujarat have come together to form a common plat-form to counter what they des-cribe as Hindu groups’ controversial move, the community so far does not have a prominent face to spearhead the cause.
In fact, the Christian community does not even have a leader of the stature of Chhotu Vasava — an MLA known across the whole tribal belt.
“As a beneficiary of tribal status, Gamit understands that with de-listing he will not be able to contest elections and represent the tribal community”
Interestingly, even this lone Christian MLA, who is a member of the Congress Party, is not part of the Christian group that has been formed to combat the JSM’s campaign which Christians fear is likely to reach its logical conclusion in the Monsoon session of Indian parliament expected to start on July 18.