‘Victory lap’ in city after Murmu win; tribals rekindle Sarna code hope

Ranchi: Celebrations broke out early on the city streets on Thursday as NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu emerged victorious in the presidential polls.
Unfazed by the heavy downpour which swept through the cityscape, hundreds of BJP workers, office bearers and lawmakers gathered outside the party’s headquarters at Harmu Road to celebrate the “historic event”.
The former chief minister and BJP leader, Babulal Marandi, said, “It is a historic moment as for the first time, India will have a President from the tribal community. Droupadi Murmu’s victory becomes far sweeter as her election came on the 75th year of Independence.”
Meanwhile, BJP workers blocked the busy roads with musical instruments and smeared each other with colours to make the event memorable.
Tribal outfits also hit the streets to celebrate the event. Led by Kendriya Sarna Samiti and other outfits, the tribal members took out a victory procession at the Albert Ekka Chowk. “Murmu has been the governor for Jharkhand for six years and she is well aware of the problems of the tribal community here goes through. We hope that as President, she will have a special eye for the tribal communities of Jharkhand,” said Bablu Munda, the president of the Samiti.
At the same time, the ruling JMM, which broke the opposition ranks to support Murmu, hoped that she will address the long-standing demand of the tribals of Jharkhand for a Sarna code.
Talking to TOI, JMM spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya said, “For decades now, the tribal communities of Jharkhand have been demanding a separate religious code for the practitioners of the Sarna faith. Despite a resolution passed by Jharkhand Vidhan Sabha in 2020 and an all-party delegation meeting Union home minister Amit Shah in 2021, the Centre has been reluctant on implementing it. We hope that Murmu ji will use her office to get a separate religious code for Sarna.”
Bhattacharya also said a JMM delegation will meet Murmu after she takes the oath of office and to formally submit a memorandum demanding that the Sarna code be implemented and the sections of the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution be safeguarded in Jharkhand.
The state unit of Congress also echoed JMM’s sentiments. “During her tenure as the governor, she safeguarded the interests of the tribal communities by returning the files which sought to amend the CNT and SPT Acts. Now, her responsibility has increased. We hope that she will implement the (Sarna) religious code at the earliest,” state Congress president Rajesh Thakur said.