Soren seeks President’s help for approval of ‘Sarna Code’ as distinct religious category

Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Thursday requested President Droupadi Murmu to assist the state gain Central approval for its proposal to include the ‘Sarna Code’ as a distinct recognized religious category.

‘Sarna’ followers among the state’s indigenous tribals are nature worshippers who have been demanding a separate religious identity for decades and the inclusion of the ‘Sarna Code’ in the religious column for future censuses.

The chief minister also requested the President, a former governor of Jharkhand, to facilitate the inclusion of three tribal languages -Ho, Mundari and Kudukh- in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

The Jharkhand government has already accorded these languages the status of second language in the state.

“If these demands are accepted by the Centre, the existence of the tribals of the state will be protected,” Soren said.

The chief minister was speaking at the Mahila Self Help Groups’ conclave, organised by the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India and the National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation.

“The state government will be walking with the central government for the dignity of the tribals. Hasa (land) and Bhasha (language), which are symbols of our identity, will also have to be taken forward,” he said.

Around 25,000 tribal women participated in the programme at the Birsa Munda College stadium in Khunti district.

Earlier, the Jharkhand Assembly had unanimously passed a resolution, seeking the inclusion of ‘Sarna’ as a separate religion in the census.