'20 crore adivasis ignored in religion-based census'

The tribal organizations on 27 August described the latest Census data on religion published by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner as "faulty and unauthentic" claiming it left out over 20 crore adivasis in the report.

What are the fault-lines?

According to Surya Singh Besra, Founder President of All Jharkhand Student Union (AJSU) and President of Jharkhand People's Party (JPP)- "There is no mention of separate Sarna religion code and no column of 20,13,78000 adivasis, having faith in Sarna religion, and who worship nature."

He also questioned the registration of the tribals under the Hindu religion or other during the latest census claiming that adivasis worship nature and their religion is Sarna.

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Lashing out at the Census, Besra said it was a political conspiracy to finish the tribals in the country.

The former MLA said even if two crore of the adivasis embraced Christianity, the figure would whittle down to 18 crore all over the country.

"Why have the country been observing 'World Indigenous Day' on August 9 every year if there is no adivasi in the country or no separate code and column for Sarna?," he asked.

The JPP leader appealed to the tribal community across the country to unite and launch a decisive struggle in support of the separate code and column for Sarna religion.

The President of Adivasi Sengel Abhiyan (ASA) and former MP Salkhan Murmu also said the census report on religion published recently was "unauthentic and faulty" in the absence of a separate code and column for Sarna religion.

-PTI