By Muslim Mirror Staff

Scores of people from various tribal groups staged a demonstration on Thursday seeking that the government recognises their religion as ‘Sarna’ and count them under this category in the upcoming census.

The protestors took a pledge to intensify their struggle and offered a prayers, seeking blessings from their deities, at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.

The protestors here were from from 50 districts of Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal and Assam.

“We are here to demand that the government recognises our religion as ‘Sarna’ and include a provision in the upcoming census for enumeration of Adivasis under this category,” Salkhan Murmu, a prominent tribal leader from Jharkhand, who is spearheading the movement, told PTI.

Mr Murmu, who was a BJP MP from Odisha’s Mayurbhanj constituency for two consecutive terms between 1998 and 2004, said tribals in the country have their own religion, religious practices and customs, but it has not yet been recognised by the government.