Radicals slam government for seeking Church help, burn Cardinal's Effigy

September3, 2009) Rightwing Hindu groups in Jharkhand have condemned a government plan to use the Catholic Church's network of organizations to distribute grain to drought-hit people in the Eastern Indian state. On August 31, some people burnt an effigy of Cardinal Telesphore P. Toppo of Ranchi and shouted slogans against the Church and state government. The previous day, Cardinal Toppo had responded positively when T.P. Sinha, adviser to the Jharkhand state Governor K. Shankaranarayanan, met him to formally request the Church's help. Cardinal Toppo, who heads the Catholic Church in the state, said the government wants to use the Church's vast infrastructure in the state to bring relief to people suffering from a severe drought. However, Hindu radical groups said they fear the government move would help the Church convert the state's poor tribal people to Christianity. On September 1st, a tribal outfit attached to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), announced it would not allow the Church to distribute grain. The BJP is the political arm of rightwing Hindu groups. The government’s plan "is a conspiracy to make Jharkhand a Christian state and help the Congress party in coming state assembly elections," said Ajay Tirkey, president of the Tribal Kendriya Sarna Samiti. He said that the centrally run Government could have called on any other NGO for help. Several other organisations have joined together to accuse the government. Cardinal Toppo, however, says the allegations stems from jealousy. He asserted that the Church would not use grain distribution to entice people to convert to Christianity.