Delist Adivasis Who Convert, Marry Outside Tribal Community From Reservation Facility: Champai Soren

Bokaro (Jharkhand), Apr 18 (PTI) Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren demanded that adivasis who convert to other religions be delisted from the reservation facility.

He also said that adivasi women who marry outside the tribal community be delisted from the reservation facility.

Addressing the 'Sarhul/Baha' get-together function organised at Balidih Jahergarh in Bokaro district on Thursday, Soren strongly pitched against reservation facilities being granted to adivasis who convert to other religions or adivasi women marrying outside the tribal community.

The existence of adivasis would be wiped out if delisting of such tribals would not happen soon, Soren, who paid obeisance at 'Jahergarh' (tribals place of worship) claimed while calling upon the adivasi community to wake up.

"No one in the community would be left to offer prayer at our Jahersthan, Sarna sthal and Deshawali (all holy place of worship), if we do not wake up now from slumber", Soren said in a statement here.

Expressing concern over the prevailing situation in Santal Paragana, the former CM said the adivasi community was bearing the brunt from two sides. While on one hand, the reserved seats are being grabbed by tribals who convert to other religions, Bangladeshi infiltrators are not only grabbing our land but also damaging our social fabric by marrying tribal women, he claimed.

Later these infiltrators encroach upon the reservation granted by the constitution through the back door by fielding the same tribal women in local body elections, Soren alleged emphasising the need to stop such practices.

Recalling the move of great tribal leader Karthik Oraon, who had tabled a Delisting Bill in Parliament in 1967, which was later referred to a parliamentary committee, he said the committee had also acknowledged that delisting was necessary to preserve the existence of the tribal community.

Soren alleged that Congress had delisted the Sarna religion code in 1961.

He called upon the youths to gear up for 'Ulgulan' (revolution). PTI BS RG

(Disclaimer: This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)

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