Members of the tribal (Janjati) community gathered and protested in support of a de-listing exercise within the tribal community in Jharkhand’s capital, Ranchi on Friday, February 9, informed the Janjati Suraksha Manch (JSM), a tribal body associated with the demand of a country-wide de-listing exercise of the tribal community.
In the one-day protest organised outside the Jharkhand State Assembly, members of the community under the banner of JSM demanded the immediate intervention of the State government to de-list those who have converted to other religion to keep the rights of the Janjatiye community intact.
The JSM has been fighting against the injustice done to the Janjati community over the years. Many of the facilities provided to the community are availed by those who have converted and are economically and educationally better positioned than the rest of the community.
अपनी मांगों को लेकर 09 फरवरी 2024 को जनजाति समाज के लोग सड़क पर उतरेंगे, और राज्य सरकार से अपनी मांग को लेकर प्रदर्शन करेंगे #Delisting pic.twitter.com/T7hhS0HJtT
— Janjati Suraksha Manch (@JSManch) February 9, 2024
Speaking at the protest rally, Megha Oraon, State spokesperson of the JSM and head of the Jharkhand Aadivasi Sarna Vikas Samiti, said that the converted ones are sleepless after the Ulgulan Maha rally organised on December 24 last year; they had not even celebrated their biggest festival on the next day. Whenever the Christians senses a danger they started talking for tribal unity by projecting Sarna-Christians are brother.
I want to remind those agents of the Church who alleged us of dividing society that this work of creating a rift in society is not something associated with us but with the Church missionaries, added Oraon.
Further, while launching a bitter attack, Oraon said that it is the Christians who create rift between brothers and promote conversion of the Janjatis by fraud; it was they who termed the Janjati community as uncivilised and religionless; they encroached on the religious land of the Janjatis; they even opposed the ration, aadhar card, and demanded a separate country and constitution in the name of Patthalgarhi. It was they who jailed Bhagwan Birsa Munda and opposed the issues raised by Baba Karthik Oraon in the year 1970.
They further protested against the delisting rally in Ranchi on February 4 this year; it was them at the root of all this controversy. However, times have changed, society has awakened, and delisting will be done for sure, asserted Oraon at the end.
Meanwhile, claiming that a conspiracy has been hatched and being executed with the aim of ending the rights of the Janjati community by violating the rules under the 5th schedule, the regional convenor of the JSM, Soma Oraon, demanded an investigation of the lands of churches and Christian crematoriums under the regions notified under the 5th schedule. Oraon further demanded a similar investigation of the places identified by Waqf board. He further demanded an investigation of those converted people who are sitting in government jobs, along with the formation of a committee to look after tribal issue.
Speaking at the demonstration, Hinduwa Oraon, Prant Sanyojak (provincial convenor) of the JSM said that those people who have left their traditional practices and worship methods and embraced Christianity should be identified and delisted, and a special session of the State assembly should be called to pass a similar resolution on de-listing alike Sarna.
Notably, the Jharkhand government in the year 2020 passed a resolution in the State assembly for a separate Sarna religion code in the next census and submitted it to the Union Government via Governor. Later on, CM Soren also wrote a letter to Prime Minister Modi and asked him to include the Sarna code in the next census in September last year.
It is to be noted that the demand of a separate Sarna religion code has been an issue of contention among the tribal community in Jharkhand and adjoining regions, where while a section of the community echoed their voice in support of a separate code, the other section of the community has been opposing it tooth and nail terming it a conspiracy to divide the community.
Earlier protest rallies were also held under the banner of JSM at around 24 districts across the State on January 31, where the demonstrators also submitted a memorandum seeking a State government resolution on de-listing.
Days after the protest rally organised by the JSM, the “Adivasi Ekta Maharally” called by a number of local organisations including a few Christian outfits and leaders from the Congress party, was also organised at the Morhabadi ground of the State’s capital Ranchi on February 4. The said gathering was reportedly called against the grand De-listing Ulgulan Maha Rally held under the banner of JSM on December 24 in Ranchi.
Launching a vicious attack on the gathering called on February 4, the JSM said that the said gathering was called by the converts. “The rally has been proven to be a Christian rally as Janjati people have not participated in it, leading to a flop show.
“The converted Christians are frustrated after the Ulgulan grand rally organised in December; they are now aware that the benefits of reservation availed by them would not be available for them anymore as the tribal community has woken up”, remarked Soma Oraon, media-incharge of JSM, Jharkhand.
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