Tapi: Vyara MLA Mohanbhai Kokani has been accused of promoting religious conversions among tribal communities. Dev Birsa Sena has alleged that the BJP MLA is actively involved in religious conversion and has demanded his resignation. Members of Dev Birsa Sena were detained by police before they attempted to burn an effigy of the MLA. Protest was carried out against the Christi Atmik Samleen event organized on Monday in Chikhalvav village.

One of the detained protesters said, “Mohan Kokani is a Christian and promotes the conversion of Adivasis from open public platforms. He should resign. We are Adivasis; we are not Christians. We are nature worshipers.”

The protesters argue that as an Adivasi, Mohanbhai Kokani should respect their traditions. “We are struggling to preserve our culture, but he openly calls for religious conversion,” one protester added.

During the event in Chikhalvav village, Kokani reportedly said, “God has chosen you; that is why you are here from different villages to seek spiritual peace.” “Everyone who is here for spiritual guidance and food, not just today but for all three days, bring more people when you come back,” Kokani added.

Kokani had won the 2022 Assembly election as the BJP’s lone Christian candidate, defeating Punaji Gamit of the Congress, a four-time MLA. The Vyara constituency, located in the tribal-dominated Tapi district, heavily relies on the Christian vote bank.

Hailing from Haripura village in Dolvan taluka, Kokani was a social worker and farmer and has been an active BJP member since 1995. In 2015, he defeated Congress cooperative leader Mavji Chaudhary in the Tapi District Panchayat election. DeshGujarat