Context

The demands for a Sarna religious code in Census 2021 are on rise in Jharkhand.

Key-points

• In 2020, the Jharkhand General Assembly passed a resolution demanding a separate ‘Sarna Code’ for Tribals. 
• The resolution will seek a special column for the followers of Sarna religion in Census 2021. 
  • The Sarna religion followers are worshippers of nature. 
  • They do not consider themselves as Hindus. 
• They have been fighting for a separate religious identity for decades. 
• Currently, Sarna is not classified as a separate religion.

What is the Sarna religion?

• 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.
• It is believed that 50 lakhs tribal people in the entire country put their religion as ‘Sarna’ in the 2011 census, although it was not a code.

Issues

• 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.
• The issue now is that the converted tribals are taking the benefits of reservation as a minority as well as the benefits given to Schedule Tribes.
• So, those who are still following only Sarna faith say that benefits should be given specifically to them and not those who have converted.

Claims by Sarna Tribes

• There was a separate Sarna Code between 1871 and 1951. 
• However, it was removed in 1961 due to conspiracy. 
• Also, in 2011 the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes recommended adding Sarna Code in the Census. 
• However, this recommendation was not implemented.

Schedule V of Constitution of India

• The Schedule V of Constitution of India deals with control and administration of Scheduled Areas and scheduled Tribes residing in states other than Meghalaya, Assam, Mizoram and Tripura. 
• In Scheduled areas the central government plays a direct role in safeguarding the economic and cultural interests of scheduled tribes.