Jharkhand Assembly Elections 2024 | Why has PM 'denied' Adivasis their religious identity, refused to enact Sarna code: Congress

New Delhi: The Congress hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday 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 November 13 and November 20 while the votes will be counted on November 23.

Assembly Elections 2024 | The Maharashtra Assembly polls will take place against the backdrop of a fractured political landscape in the western state where the Shiv Sena and NCP will be going up against the Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar factions, even as the BJP and Congress try to make their mark. Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, the JMM faces a new challenge after Hemant Soren's recent arrest and Champai, a longstanding party member, joining the BJP. The Haryana election resulted in a shock loss for Congress, which was looking to galvanize on the Lok Sabha poll performance, while J&K also saw the grand old party eventually stepping away from the cabinet, with Omar Abdullah's JKNC forming government. It remains to be seen if the upcoming polls help BJP cement its position further or provide a fillip to I.N.D.I.A. Check live updates and track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analyses only on Deccan Herald.

Subscribe and follow DH on Whatsapp, X, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram to never miss out on anything.