Village council bans allotment of land to Christians for prayer or burial

The gram sabha of Punpalli village panchayat in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district has passed a resolution banning allotment of community land to Christians and converts for burial, construction of churches, prayer, and religious meetings. 

A press release issued by the local panchayat said constitutional provisions empowered them to take such decisions; the Christian community said these orders infringe upon their right to freedom of religion guaranteed under the Constitution.

“Under the resolution, it was decided that no gram sabha land would be provided to Christians and converted persons for burial, construction of churches, prayer meetings or religious meetings. Not even an inch of gram sabha land would be given to them,” the release dated October 2 said.

Punapalli village has also installed an information board announcing that entry of Christian priests, and preachers into the village for conversion, prayer meetings, and other activities aree prohibited.

Protect ‘social unity’

The release added that the village assembly’s resolution “regarding religious activities and land in the Scheduled Area, cited Article 244(1) of the Constitution of India, the Fifth Schedule, PESA Act 1996, and the amended Chhattisgarh PESA Rules 2022”. The Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA), grants gram sabhas in Fifth Schedule Areas additional powers to protect and maintain traditional systems of governance.

Madkam Bhima, a member of Janpad Panchayat and Bharatiya Yuva Morcha leader, issued a video statement in which he said the decisions were taken keeping in mind traditional systems, social unity, and community interests.

Jagdalpur-based lawyer Pradeep Singh, who serves as a legal advisor to members of the Christian community in the Bastar division (that comprises seven districts including Sukma and Bastar), said that such reasoning was against the right to freedom of religion, and a complete misinterpretation of the PESA. “No Fundamental right should be taken away because of any law. Yes, the Act empowers the gram sabha to take decisions to protect their culture but those rights should not be exercised in this manner,” he said. 

Bhupendra Khora of the Christian Progressive Alliance said other villages in Bastar, too, have passed similar resolutions.