Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said she had written to the Centre for recognition of Sari and Sarna as religious codes in the census, the move seen as a bid to woo the state’s tribal populace ahead of the panchayat polls. R

ecognition of Sari and Sarna — the two dominant faiths practised by the tribal populace — has been a longstanding demand of the tribal community.

“We have written a letter to the central government with your demand for recognition of Sari and Sarna (as religious codes). We want the recognition as it is a sentiment of the (tribal) people. We fully support your demand,” Mamata said at a public benefit distribution programme at Midnapore College Maidan, West Midnapore.

“We have also written a letter supporting a specific demand of the Kurmi community,” she added.

Mamata did not forget to mention these at a similar gathering in Purulia’s Hutmura grounds later in the day.

Though Mamata did not specify the Kurmi community’s demand in her speech, the backward community has long been demanding that the Centre reassigns it the ST tag it lost due to “unknown reasons” after Independence.

Mamata’s mention of the longstanding demands of these communities is significant as they play a decisive role in every election in Jungle Mahal districts of West Midnapore, Jhargram, Bankura and Purulia.

Sources said that the two communities decide the fortunes of 40 Assembly seats in four Jungle Mahal districts. In Bengal, rural polls likely to take place in May.

In the 2018 rural polls, the BJP captured 100 panchayats and won five of the six Lok Sabha seats in 2019 in a region dominated by Kurmis and tribals. But the BJP suffered a setback in the 2021 Assembly polls with the party winning only 16 of the 40 seats.

Many Trinamul leaders said that the BJP had launched a major campaign among tribals and Kurmis by highlighting the election of Droupadi Murmu as President.

“That’s why Didi has touched the right buttons at the right time now by supporting the longstanding demands of tribal and Kurmi communities,” said a Trinamul leader in Purulia.

In recent years, the tribal community has been demanding that Sari and Sarna faiths be acknowledged in the census. The Bengal Assembly will take up the issue for discussion on Friday.

“We heard what our chief minister said. It is a good move but we will be happy only if the Centre officially announces the recognition,” said Sangiri Hembram, tribal leader and member of the Bharat Jakat Majhi Pargana Mahal in Bankura.

In recent times, the Kurmi community is also blocking railway tracks and roads in Jungle Mahal to bolster their demand for the ST tag. They have called a mega meeting in Purulia’s Murguma on April 5 to chalk out a larger movement.

Responding to Mamata’s stand, Ajit Mahato, the chief adviser of Adivasi Kurmi Samaj, said: “We are happy... but want our demand to be fulfilled by the Centre.”

Mamata highlighted how her government was giving benefits to tribal and other backward communities in Jungle Mahal despite denial of central funds. In a Purulia rally, she said: “I will like to request the DM, SP and BDOs to visit villages and hold camps to know what people want. All your demands will come to me and I will certainly try to arrive at a solution.”