Why has PM ‘denied’ Adivasis their religious identity: Congress

The Congress hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, 10 November, by posing questions on Jharkhand, asking why has he "denied" Adivasis their religious identity and refused to enact the Sarna code.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said that as Prime Minister Modi holds poll rallies in Jharkhand, he should answer three questions before seeking a single vote.

Where is the Korba-Lohardaga and Chatra-Gaya railway lines, Ramesh asked in a post on X.

He said the people of Lohardaga and Chatra have been demanding better rail connectivity for years as it would improve locals' access to education and employment opportunities.

"Sadly, the Railway Ministry has ignored their demands and made very poor progress on this front. In October 2022, the Railway Ministry sanctioned the Chatra-Gaya rail project but two years later, no progress has been made. There is no word on the Korba-Lohardaga line," he said.

"How much longer must the people wait for the these crucial rail links? Is the non-biological PM doing anything to ensure the completion of these essential projects?" Ramesh said.

He further asked as to where are the engineering colleges that PM Modi had promised in 2014.

During his campaign for Jharkhand's 2014 Assembly elections, Modi had promised a range of industrial and educational projects, including a premier IT institution and several engineering colleges, Ramesh said.

"However, only two institutions were ever established, NIELIT Ranchi and CIPET Khunti. These too, after 9 and 7 years respectively, do not have a permanent campus. Dr. Manmohan Singh's government, on the other hand, established high-quality institutions like IIM Ranchi and a Central University," Ramesh said.

Why has PM failed to deliver the institutions he had promised ten years ago, the Congress leader asked.

Why has the PM "denied" Adivasis their religious identity and refused to enact the Sarna code, he further asked.

"For years, Jharkhand's tribal communities, followers of the Sarna faith, have sought official recognition of their distinct religious identity in India. However, the recent decision to remove the 'Others' option from the religion column in the census poses a dilemma for Sarna adherents, who must now choose between leaving the column blank or aligning themselves with specified religions," the Congress leader said. Despite former BJP chief minister Raghubar Das's assurance of enacting the Sarna Code by 2021, no progress has been made, he claimed.

The demand for a Sarna code reflects the tribes' longstanding aspiration for official recognition as a distinct religious community, Ramesh said.

"Will the nonbiological PM address this issue and fulfill the promise of enacting the Sarna Code?" he said.

Ramesh's remarks come amid campaigning for elections to the 81-member Jharkhand assembly which will be held on 13 November and 20 November while the votes will be counted on 23 November.