?Vanvasis are part and parcel of the Hindu society. From the epic age they have always taken active part to establish dharma both in the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Their problems are national problems. A country cannot make progress if they do not uplift with the rest of the nation,? said Smt Binapanidas Sharma, Kshetriya Mahila Pramukh of Vanvasi Kalan Ashram. She was speaking at a function held at Silchar, Assam, recently to celebrate the golden jubilee year of Kalyan Ashram. More than 650 people representing 13 tribes of Cachar district gathered in Silchar to celebrate the occasion. Principal, Silchar Women College, Dr Sankar Bhattacharya, was chief guest. She said that by cutting the links between Vanvasis and the rest of the nation the British and their fourth military division, i.e. the Christian missionaries, had hatched dangerous conspiracies. ?They have converted our simple living Vanvasis. The converted people by taking weapons in their hands have disturbed the normal life,? she said. Additional district magistrate of Cachar, Jayanta Chowdhury, praised the work done by Kalyan Ashram and assured all assistance personally and heartily. S.M. Bhati, President, Bharat Bhikshu Parishad, Silchar and Iswarbhai Wadia, Chairman, Surma Valley Tea Association also addressed the gathering. (Basudev Pal)
