Several tribal organizations are demanding a distinct census code for Saranism (Representational)
Tribal organization Adivasi Sengel Abhiyan (ASA) on Wednesday called for a "symbolic" Bharat bandh on December 30 in support of its long-standing demand for the recognition of the Sarna religion.
ASA president Salkhan Murmu said the Sarna religion code is the identity of 15 crore tribals of the country and denying the recognition to the religion of the tribal community is "tantamount to constitutional crime".
Forcing the community to embrace other faiths was like "compelling them to accept the slavery of religion", he said and accused both Congress and the BJP of depriving tribals of their freedom of religion.
Mr Murmu claimed that the 1951 census had a separate code for the Sarna religion but the Congress had later removed it, while the BJP is now trying to convert the tribals to Vanvasis and Hindus.
ASA is in favor of protecting the interest of the tribal community. "We will vote for whichever party recognizes Sarna religion," Mr Murmu said.
Sarna is the indigenous religious faith of tribal communities, who predominantly worship natural elements such as mountains, forests, and wildlife. The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has suggested that the Sarna religion be accorded an independent category in the religion code of the census.
Several tribal organizations and Christian missionaries are demanding a distinct census code for Satanism.
Mr Murmu said around 50 lakh adivasis had enlisted their faith as 'Sarna' in the 2011 census compared to 44 lakh for Jainism. However, Jainism has been accorded a separate religious status but Sarnaism has been deprived of it to date.
Also neither Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Ulihatu in Jharkhand, the birthplace of tribal leader Birsa Munda, nor President Droupadi Murmu who visited Baripada in Odisha in November uttered a word on recognition of the Sarna religion.
"As ASA has left with no option, it has decided to call a day-long symbolic Bharat bandh with the support of like-minded organizations on December 30," he said.
As part of the protest tribals will take to the streets and block road and rail movement to press for their demand, Mr Murmu said and urged political parties who had supported the Sarna Religion Code Bill in the Jharkhand assembly on November 11 to come out in support of ASA's demand.
The Jharkhand Assembly had unanimously passed a resolution in November 2020 advocating the recognition of Sarna as a distinct religion in the census.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)