Several social workers and civil society representatives have urged the Jharkhand government to closely monitor the rally planned on Sunday (Christmas-eve) in Ranchi demanding the delisting of tribals who have converted to other religions.

The letter addressed to Jharkhand chief secretary L. Khiangte, home secretary Avinash Kumar, DGP Ajay Kumar Singh, deputy commissioner of Ranchi Rahul Kumar Sinha and Ranchi senior superintendent of police (SSP) Chandan Kumar Sinha on Saturday draws attention to the authorities about the rally of Janjatiya Suraksha Manch (JSM), which it claims is an initiative of Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram having links with the RSS.

“The objective of such programmes organised by the Janjatiya Suraksha Manch is clear — to make tribals fight among themselves in the name of Sarna-Christianity, loot their land, end the independent existence of the tribals and make the country a Hindu nation,” the letter said.

“The demand for delisting is beyond facts. There is a clear provision under Section 366 and 342 of the Constitution for any tribal group to be considered a ‘Scheduled Tribe’ and there is no mention of religion in these sections,” it said, adding the delisting demand was a bid "to spread communalism among the tribals".