Tribal organizations have once again decided to hold ‘road rail chakka jam’ demanding centre to introduce a separate Sarna tribal religion code in the 2021 census.
The Hemant Soren government last month passed the separate Sarna tribal religion code and has sent it to the centre to accord separate religious column for tribals in the 2021 census.
Leaders from various tribal outfits such as Central Sarna Committee, All India Tribal Development Council and Tribal Sengel Campaign on Sunday held a press conference at Dhumkudia in Karamtoli, Ranchi and announced to hold rail road chakka jam on January 31 with their demands.
The rail-road blockade will be held in tribal dominated states including Jharkhand, Bihar, Bengal, Assam, Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
Central Chairman of the Central Sarna Committee Phoolchand Tirkey said, “The December 6 rail-road blockade jam was successful. Tribals have become aware of their right. The tribals want the religion code in the 2021 census in any case. For this, the tribals of the whole country are continuously agitating, but the central government is ignoring the demand of the tribals.”
As the centre has failed to introduce Sarna Adivasi religion code, tribal outfits such as Central Sarna Committee, All India Tribal Development Council and Adivasi Sengel Abhiyan are preparing for the second phase of agitation. All India Tribal Development Council General Secretary Lalit Kachhap said, “For 2021 census only one and a half months is left. In such a situation, the central government should speed up the process for according separate religious code for Sarna tribals. 15 crore tribals in the country are fighting for their rights. If the tribals are not given the religion code, then 15 crore tribals will oppose the census.”
On the occasion, National President and former MP of Tribal Sengel Campaign, Salkhan Murmu, Convenor Sumitra Murmu, Patron of Central
Sarna Committee Lalit Kachhap, All India Tribal Development Council Vice President Lakhan Minj, General Secretary Sanjay Tirkey and others were present.