ONLY THE DIVINE AUTHORITY CAN COUNT THE LIVING AND THE DEAD

Refugees, illegal migrants, foreigners and of course Indians would form part of census 2011 that would populate the mystical and diversified country called India, but not the fabled “Indian Babylonians" of Mizoram!

Considering themselves as children of God the Babylonians have refused to enumerate themselves in the current census operations, much to the disappointment of the Indian government.

Living in a world of complete isolation and mystery the Babylonians are a secretive sect, living in some districts of Mizoram, with the belief that they have nothing to do with the “outside” world.

The sectarian group has shut their doors to the outside world and would not allow “others” to come to their homes in times of wedding or funerals or any other social events. They have even stopped sending their children to schools, so that they are not influenced by the outside world.

The reason to abstain from the current census according to the Babylonians is simple: “only the divine authority has the right to count the living and the dead. Not humans.”

“These are non-believers,” a rather piqued Pu Lal Thanhawala the Chief Minister of Christian majority state of Mizoram said after the Babylonians refused to enumerate themselves in the current census operations.


Secretary of North East Christian Council, Reverend R Lalnunzira, however, disagrees. “Babylonians are Christians and the Church have always wanted them to return into the mainstream, but it has been difficult convincing them as they do not want communication with the outside world,” the Church leader said.

The Babylonians are somewhat similar to the Mennonites and Amish people of North America. The Mennonites and Amish too do not communicate with the outside world and have even shunned modern technology and prefer living a lifestyle much as the way people lived in the Biblical era.

The Mizoram Chief Minister emphasising the importance of the census operations said, the government wants to head count those who are living in Mizoram similar to the rest of the country.

“If they (Babylonians) don’t say about their numbers it leaves a small, but, significant blank in our efforts to formulate welfare schemes for the entire population of Mizoram.” But, so far all efforts of the Mizoram government have been futile to convince the Babylonians to be part of the census.

The 2011 census would definitely throw many surprises in the coming days, but the missing “Babylonian” population is much on expected lines and shall remain as fabled as they were for centuries.