- By Vivek Raj
- Sun, 12 Nov 2023 09:09 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Tribal activists have issued a threat of self-immolation if Prime Minister Narendra Modi fails to make an announcement on the recognition of the Sarna religion during his scheduled visit to Jharkhand on November 15. The activists, affiliated with the 'Adivasi Sengel Abhiyan' (ASA), plan to observe a fast from 10 AM to 1 PM on the same day in Jharkhand and other states in support of their demand.
Prime Minister Modi is set to visit Ulihatu, the birthplace of tribal icon Birsa Munda, in Khunti district on November 15, coinciding with Jharkhand Foundation Day.
"We are expecting the prime minister to make an announcement on our long-standing demand for the recognition of a separate 'Sarna' religion ... If he does not make the Centre's stand clear over our demand, the two activists have decided to immolate themselves at 4 pm at Ulihatu and Bokaro,” Murmu said as quoted by news agency PTI.
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If the demand remains unaddressed, two ASA activists have independently decided to carry out self-immolation at 4 PM at Ulihatu and Bokaro. The ASA had previously organised a rally in Ranchi on November 8, pressing for the Centre's recognition of the tribal Sarna religion.
Meanwhile, in a meeting on Friday, ASA leaders from Assam, Bengal, and Jharkhand decided to conduct a rail and road blockade on December 30 in support of the recognition of the Sarna religion.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren welcomed Modi's visit but said that the decision to recognise the 'Sarna' religion remains pending with the Centre. Soren stressed the importance of recognising the Sarna religion to safeguard the constitutional rights of tribals and differentiate them from followers of other religions.
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Earlier in September, Soren had written to the Prime Minister, urging the recognition of the 'Sarna' code for tribals, citing a decline in their population from 38% to 26% over the past eight decades. Sarna is the predominant religious faith of indigenous communities in the Chota Nagpur Plateau region, encompassing states like Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, and Chhattisgarh, and stands as India's largest tribal religion.