Amid repeated debate and political and social controversies on beef eating, a prominent Protestant, Pastor Saroj Roy, in Coochbehar in northern part of West Bengal says -- "Beef eating is hardly an issue. We Rajbongshi Christians do not take beef".
"No one has asked us to eat or not to eat anything. My Bible and my religion tells me ..... if my eating anything causes any difficulties for any of my friends and neighbours; I should not eat the same," Roy told this blogger in an interaction at Coochbehar.
There are about 80 Christian families under his Church of God local church and he added: "As per my knowledge no Rajbongshi Christians in Coochbehar or even in north Bengal eat beef".
The Rajbanshi, also Rajbongshi and Koch-Rajbongshi, are peoples from Western Assam, North Bengal, eastern Bihar, Terai region of eastern Nepal, Rangpur division of North Bangladesh and Bhutan.
Koch-Rajbanshi people speak Kamatapuri, an Indo-Aryan languag.
The community is categorised as OBC in Assam and Bihar, and SC in West Bengal.
In Nepal they are considered part of the Plains Janjati. In Bangladesh the community is classified as Plains ethnic group under 'Barman'. They are the largest Scheduled Caste community of West Bengal.
In the past Rajbongshis have demanded creation of a new state for northern part of West Bengal.
Answering a question, he said: "I am a simple person and I understand it very simply that if I eat or do somerhing which my people either Hindus or Christians do not approve of; how can I do my social work".
He said Christians among Rajbongshis maybe in microscopic minorities; but everyone is living in social harmony and communal amity.
He also said : "Only we have changed our faith. It is like surrendering before Jesus Christ... it is not changing our culture or food habits. We - Christian Rajbongshis - are upholding our traditional culture and language. Me and my team have brought out the first edition of New Testament Bible in Rajbongshi language in 2022 and translation works for the Old Testament is on in full swing".
He also said -- "We do not even practice prayer sessions sitting on chair and table as Christians normally do. Our prayer session is called Upasana (Bengali Hindu word). We sit on floor like our Hindu brothers and then pray in front of Cross".
"We also lit candles and Agarbattis. The most important is to pray ... it is not important how we pray".
The 69-year old Roy was Baptised as a protestant on 9th July, 1968. He was a first generation Christian but his wife took about 20 years and more to become Christian.
"My wife Prathiba Roy took to Christianity only in 2000. She was practicing her Hinduism," he said adding -- "But as an educated woman she used to read Bible ... and in some years she had turned out as a better person and to articulate much better than me while propating to local Rajbongshis about Christianity and the teachings of Jesus".
Roy futher said - "We are so much part of the basic Rajbongshi samaj today that during birthdays of Hindu children, my wife is invited by Hindu neighbours to pray for their kids".
Roy also said -- "My father in law ... was a disciple of local Rama Krishna mission at Chowdhury Haat.... But he used to read Bible and was a fan of Christian values and teachings".
"Once he told me ... he wants to convert to Christianity... I did not encourage the idea and so both my father in law and mother in law died Hindus".
Ends
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