The Jharkhand government is considering convening a one-day special session of the state assembly on November 11 to pass a resolution in favour of the Sarna code, eventually forwarding it to the union government ahead of the 2021 session.

State rural development department cum parliamentary affairs minister Alamgir Alam on Wednesday said, “We have decided to convene a one day special assembly session for Sarna code. I have sent the proposal to the governor house yesterday as per protocol to formally seek his consent.” The governor being the constitutional head of the state government, it is mandated to apprise Raj Bhavan before convening any session of the house.

Alam, the MLA from Pakur, hails from a minority background. He said that both the Congress party and the ruling alliance in its election manifesto had promised to work towards Sarna code - a separate religion column in the national census record, to provide a separate identity to tribals, who largely call themselves as followers of Sarna or nature worshippers.

So far, tribals were classified as Hindu, Muslim or Christians in the census.

Concerned over the rising protests by tribals in recent weeks, chief minister Hemant Soren on October 3 announced holding an assembly session before statehood day which falls on November 15, to send the proposal to the union government.

A section of tribals are now planning to oppose this move by demanding an ‘Adivasi code’ in place of a ‘Sarna code’ for greater acceptance of existence and recognition across the country.

Prem Sahi Munda, president of Adivasi Jan Parishad said that several likeminded tribal bodies are opposed to Sarna code as it doesn’t recognise tribals at large. He explained, “Fight for a separate code is to retain our distinct identity. Sarna specifically relates to a place of worship of the Oraon tribe and it is no longer logical to identify all advisasis as Oroans. There are others too like Mundas, and Ho who have different religious practises and affiliations. For example, Mundas call their religious place as Seher while Santhals call it as Jaherthan. Therefore, we want Adivasi code, not Sarna code.”

Munda said that several national and state level tribal bodies are therefore gearing up to oppose any move to push for a Sarna code. “Government of India in the past had already rejected a proposal for Sarna code and resending such a proposal will hardly solve any purpose and will be an eyewash,” he said.