Morari Bapu echoes misleading data to support BJP's anti-conversion agenda

By Rajiv Shah 

A senior Gujarat activist phoned me today to inform me that the well-known storyteller on Lord Ram, Morari Bapu, has made an "unsubstantiated" and "preposterous" statement in Songadh town, located in the tribal-dominated Tapi district. He claimed that while the Gujarat government wants the Bhagavad Gita to be taught in schools, the "problem is" that 75% of government teachers "are Christians who do not let this happen" and are “involved in religious conversions.”

I was forwarded an Indian Express link, which does not specifically clarify whether the religious preacher—considered highly respected for helping alleviate the plight of socially backward sections, including sex workers—gave the 75% figure in the context of Gujarat’s government schools, or if he was referring to a specific tribal region, or Gujarat's entire eastern tribal belt.

Morari Bapu made this comment based on an anonymous letter he had received from a school teacher. The letter claimed that Christian missionaries were involved in religious conversions in the name of free education in the Union Territories of Silvassa and Daman. The letter was forwarded to the state education minister, Praful Pansheriya, who was present on the occasion.

The minister's reaction showed he wanted to make the now-fashionable issue of religious conversion a matter of concern—not so much for Silvassa and Daman (which do not fall under Gujarat's jurisdiction), but for Gujarat's tribal belt. He said, “Earlier, the entire tribal belt used to follow Shabari Mata and prayed to her, but in the last 40 years, especially in Tapi district, the majority of tribals are Christians."

I was surprised: where did the minister find the claim that in Tapi district the "majority of tribals" are Christians? Tribals make up 84% of Tapi district’s population, and a quick net search shows Christians constitute only about 7% of the district’s population, while Hindus account for 90%. However, certain villages in Songadh taluka report a Christian population of up to 61%.

Situated about 150 km southwest of Tapi, Silvassa and Daman also have tribal majorities, yet the Christian population there is just 1.5% and 8%, respectively.

But who cares about actual numbers when the aim is to browbeat a minority community? Even Morari Bapu’s claim that 75% of teachers (did he mean in Songadh, Silvassa, or Daman?) were Christians found no support from the local BJP MLA, Mohan Kokni, who happens to be a Christian. Kokni said Morari Bapu’s claim had "no basis," as there were no allegations or complaints of any Christian teacher being involved in proselytization.

Kokni didn’t stop there. He said that before 1970, the tribal areas lacked healthcare and education. Thanks to Christian missionaries, healthcare and education facilities were introduced. Tribals were not lured, nor were there any forced conversions. Yet, ironically, Morari Bapu pledged ₹1 lakh per newly built school in tribal areas to counter proselytization and "prevent" tribal exploitation under the guise of free education.

Even while complaining about a lack of teachers, what Morari Bapu refused to mention was that many teachers are reluctant to take up positions, especially in Songadh taluka and other similarly remote tribal areas.

The reasons include: Songadh, being a predominantly tribal area with hilly terrain, makes transportation and daily commuting difficult; teachers face inadequate housing, healthcare, and infrastructure; schools might lack proper classrooms, teaching materials, and sometimes even electricity and water. 

Many teachers prefer urban or semi-urban postings where social and professional opportunities are better, and remote postings can feel isolating, especially for those from different cultural backgrounds. Even when teachers are posted, there’s often a high transfer rate or absenteeism because they frequently seek transfers back to more developed regions.