Jharkhand CM Soren Urges PM Modi To Recognise 'Sarna Religious Code' For Tribals

Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren wrote to PM Modi, requesting that the 'Sarna' code for tribals be recognised in order to protect their religious existence and constitutional rights.

File Photo Of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren

Source : Getty Images

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Wednesday (September 27) penned a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, appealing for the recognition of the 'Sarna' code for tribal communities to safeguard their religious identity and constitutional rights. Soren expressed concern over the declining tribal population in the state, which has dropped from 38 percent to 26 percent over the past eight decades.

Soren, when asked about his letter to PM Modi, said: "There is a demand, hence we are making efforts. Even though tribals, Dalits, and backward communities get their rights after a lot of struggle."

VIDEO | “There is a demand, hence we are making efforts. Even though tribals, Dalits, and backward communities get their rights after a lot of struggle,” says Jharkhand CM @HemantSorenJMM on his letter to PM Modi, seeking recognition of Sarna religious code for tribals. pic.twitter.com/QvXRZVnOIH

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 27, 2023

In a letter, Soren said, "The concern of protecting the traditional religious existence of tribals... is certainly a serious question. Today, the demand for Tribal/Sarna Religious Code is being raised so that this nature-worshipping tribal community can be confident about its identity. At present, when the demand for Uniform Civil Code is being raised by some organisations, positive initiative on this demand of Tribal/Sarna community is absolutely necessary for their protection."

देश का आदिवासी समुदाय पिछले कई वर्षों से अपने धार्मिक अस्तित्व की रक्षा के लिए जनगणना कोड में प्रकृति पूजक आदिवासी/सरना धर्मावलंबियों को शामिल करने की मांग को लेकर संघर्षरत है।
मैंने पत्र लिखकर माननीय प्रधानमंत्री आदरणीय श्री @narendramodi जी से देश के करोड़ों आदिवासियों के हित… pic.twitter.com/svvzDaTq7C

— Hemant Soren (@HemantSorenJMM) September 27, 2023

Soren highlighted that the declining tribal population has a negative impact on tribal development policies under the Fifth and Sixth Schedules of the Constitution. The Fifth Schedule governs the administration and control of scheduled areas and tribes, while the Sixth Schedule governs tribal areas.

Soren stressed that a Sarna Religious Code is essential to distinguish tribals from followers of other religions and to protect their constitutional rights. He emphasised that such a code would enable the estimation of tribal populations and the preservation and promotion of their language, culture, and history.

While a separate code for tribals existed in the 1951 Census, it was subsequently abolished for various reasons. Soren pointed out that as per the 2011 census data, there are over 12 crore tribals in the country, with more than one crore residing in Jharkhand.

Soren said, "A large population of Jharkhand follows the Sarna religion. The living scriptures of this religion are water, forest, land and nature itself. The culture, methods of worship, ideals and beliefs are also different from all the prevalent religions. Therefore, not only Jharkhand, but the tribal community of the entire country has been struggling for the last several years to protect their religious existence."

Previously, the Jharkhand Assembly unanimously passed a resolution to include 'Sarna' as a separate religion in the census. Soren also appealed to President Droupadi Murmu to support the state's efforts to gain central approval for recognizing the 'Sarna Code' as a distinct and acknowledged religious category.