Ranchi: Tribal outfits of Jharkhand are now looking up to Congress to raise their demands of a separate Sarna religious code in the ongoing Budget session of Parliament, said chief of Adivasi Sengal Abhiyan (ASA) and former MP Salkhan Murmu.
Murmu also said, members of various tribal outfits, spearheaded by ASA and Kendriya Sarna Samiti, will meet state finance minister Rameshwar Oraon on February 5 and ask him to relay their concerns to his party’s senior leadership in New Delhi. Tribal outfits are demanding a separate religious code for practitioners of Sarna ahead of the 2021 census.
“Congress is one of India’s largest parties. If its leadership is convinced, then the party’s MPs can raise the issue during the ongoing Budget session. Sarna code is not just limited to tribals of Jharkhand, but extends to Adivasis living in West Bengal, Assam, Odisha and Chattisgarh,” Murmu told TOI on Wednesday. He hoped Congress MPs will be able to put pressure on the incumbent Narendra Modi government to pay heed to the demand.
In November last year, the state assembly had passed a resolution and dispatched it to the Centre seeking a separate code. On January 31, tribal outfits orchestrated a symbolic road and rail blockade to press their needs.
Asked if ASA will approach tribal lawmakers of BJP to press for their demand, Murmu, said, “Although BJP MLAs have supported the resolution, the party is not serious about tribal affairs.”
In the same breath, Murmu also said tribal outfits do not having expectations from JMM either. “Chief minister Hemant Soren met Union home minister Amit Shah last month and discussed many issues, but chose not to speak on Sarna code. They got the resolution passed in the House, but sent it to the Centre without the governor’s ascent. JMM is not serious about tribal matters. The party only uses tribal people for their political gains,” Murmu said.