As the Union Government prepares for 2021 census collecting data of people, which also include their religion, the demand for inclusion of separate Sarna code, a religion based on the concept of nature worship, followed by tribals in several Indian States including Jharkhand has gained momentum.
As the Sarna code-separate religious code was the election manifesto of Mahagathbandhan parties including Congress and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), the State government is planning to introduce the religious code in the coming Monsoon Session of the Assembly. State Congress president, Rameshwar Oraon had already stated their government is committed to bring separate religious code for tribals, the Congress leadership will urge Chief Minister Hemant Soren stating that this is the right time to bring the bill of separate religious code for tribals.
State Congress working president, Rajesh Thakur said, “The Sarna religious code is poll manifesto of Congress and other Mahagathbandhan parties there will be no problem if a bill pertaining to separate religious code for tribals is tabled in Assembly.”
Sources said that various tribal groups are exerting pressure on government and opposition parties to bring a bill for separate religious code of tribals. On Tuesday leaders from various tribal groups met former chief minister and BJP legislative party leader Babulal Marandi seeking support for Sarna religious code. The group also met AJSU chief Sudesh Mahto and other tribal groups.
Sources said that though BJP is yet to clear its stand on religious code for tribals, but former chief minister Raghubar Das at an election meeting in Gumla ahead of parliamentary election last year had promised to bring separate religious code for tribals.
A senior BJP leader on condition of anonymity said, “The BJP will decide on the issue at a legislative party meet. But we feel that apart from political growth of tribals, their social and economic growth too is important for tribals.”
Recently the demand for Sarna religious code gained momentum after Rameshwar Oraon State Congress president and minister in Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s cabinet raised the issue.
Addressing a gathering on the occasion of International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples popularly known as Adivasi Diwas (August 8), Oraon who holds Finance Ministry in Soren’s cabinet said that a proposal will be passed in Jharkhand assembly and sent to the centre demanding declaration of separate Sarna Religious Code.
Sarna, a so-called "religion" based on the concept of nature worship, is followed by tribals in several Indian states including Jharkhand. Tribals in Jharkhand have long been demanding a separate Sarna religious code in the Census.
The demand for a separate Sarna religious code in the Census has been pending for a long time. Sarna followers are worshippers of nature. Jharkhand has 32 tribal groups, of which eight tribes are from Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG). These tribal groups are Hindus. However, few have converted to Christianity.