Champai Soren and Hemant Soren.
The demand to implement the Sarna Dharma Code began once again in the Jharkhand elections. The Congress and the JMM have promised to implement it if the government is formed again in the state. The Congress-JMM’s claim to implement the Sarna Dharma Code is seen as contrary to the narrative of Hindutva through the BJP’s UCC. At the same time, the BJP has also said that the party is in favor of implementing the Sarna Code.
In the Jharkhand Assembly elections, the three big parties are talking about implementing the Sarna Code because the reason behind it is that the tribals have a huge vote bank. In fact, earlier there was a separate column for the Sarna religion code in the census, but it was later abolished. In such a situation, all political parties are raising the demand for a separate Sarna religion code in the census for tribals. The JMM Congress has also defended the Sarna Dharmacode in its election manifesto.
Know what the Sarna Dharma Code is
The Sarna Dharma Code is an issue related to the culture and tradition of the tribals. Although the tribes worship trees, mountains and nature, most of the tribal community is close to the beliefs and rituals of Hindu religion, the worship rituals and worshiping gods and goddesses are also the same as those of Sanatan. But in the tribal worship system, there is a tradition of nature worship instead of idol worship. Sarna is also known as the place of worship of tribals, where the tribal community gathers and worships in different festivals according to their beliefs.
They also have a Sarna flag. But the central government has rejected the proposal for a separate religious code for tribals in Jharkhand in the census. The government’s argument was that adding a new religion column or code in addition to the religion column in the census would create more demands across the country, which is not possible, but it is an emotional issue for the tribals. This issue was also raised during the Lok Sabha elections.
What did the BJP MP say?
On this issue, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey says that the BJP is not against the Sarna Code, the BJP will implement the Sarna Code. We demand Sarna Code, our Kadiya Munda has made big moves on Sarna Code, but to instigate the vote bank, JMM Congress is talking about Sarna Code. On this matter, BJP MP Deepak Prakash also says that the party respects the Sarna Dharma code.
The Hemant government had called a special session.
The Hemant government also called a special session and passed the Sarna Religion Code Bill from the Jharkhand Assembly. Hemant Soren also wrote a letter to PM Modi in this regard, but former Jharkhand CM Champai Soren had taken on both the JMM and the Congress on this issue. Champai Soren said the Sarna Code existed until 1951 but Congress abolished it. In such a situation, before talking about the Sarna Code, JMM should break ties with the Congress.
The influence and activism of Christian missionaries among the tribal community is also seen as linked to the Sarna Code demand. Those who oppose the Sarna Code say that Sarna Dharma is actually a religion and way of life original to the Sanatan Dharma tradition. In such a situation, there is an attempt to divide the tribes and distance them from the Hindu Sanatan religion through a separate Sarna religious code so that they can easily convert to Christianity.
