Separate religious code for Sarna tribals
Context: Jharkhand government convened a special session and passed a resolution to send the Centre a letter to recognise Sarna religion and include it as a separate code in the Census of 2021.
- For the last many years several protests and meetings have been held by various tribal groups in Jharkhand and elsewhere pushing the same demand.
What is the Sarna religion?
- The followers of Sarna faith believe pray to nature.
- The holy grail of the faith is “Jal, Jungle, Zameen” and its followers pray to the trees and hills while believing in protecting the forest areas.
- Jharkhand has 32 tribal groups of which eight are from Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups.
- While many follow Hindu religion, some have converted to Christianity — this has become one of the planks of demanding a separate code “to save religious identity”— as various tribal organisations put it.
- It is believed that 50 lakhs tribal in the entire country put their religion as ‘Sarna’ in the 2011 census, although it was not a code.
What has been the politics around it?
- Many of the tribals who follow this faith have later converted to Christianity—the state has more than 4% Christians most of whom are tribals.
- Some who still follow the Sarna faith believe the converted tribals are taking the benefits of reservation as a minority as well as the benefits given to Schedule Tribes.
- They also believe that benefits should be given specifically to them and not those who have converted.
What are the reasons given by state government?
- Tribals who go for work in different states not being recorded in the Census.
- Separate code will ensure recording of their population.
- Declining numbers affect the constitutional rights given to them and how the rights will be bestowed upon the Adivasis under 5th Schedule of the Constitution.
What sense does a separate code make?
- The protection of their language and history is an important aspect with tribals.
- Between 1871 and 1951, the tribals had a different code. However, it was changed around 1961-62.
- Today when the entire world is focusing on reducing pollution and protecting the environment, it is prudent that Sarna becomes a religious code as the soul of this religion is to protect nature and the environment.
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