Ranchi, May 26 (PTI) The Congress in Jharkhand on Monday staged a dharna outside the Raj Bhavan here, seeking recognition of the Sarna religious code.

Jharkhand Congress president Keshav Mahto Kamlesh and in-charge K Raju were among those who took part in the demonstration to push for the inclusion of the code, practiced by the tribals, in the upcoming Census.

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The Congress, a part of the JMM-led ruling coalition in the eastern state, also submitted a memorandum to Jharkhand Governor Santosh Gangwar, urging him to initiate steps in this regard.

“The Centre must include the Sarna religious code in the upcoming Census. This has been a long-pending demand of the tribals,” Kamlesh said.

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Congress leader and state Agriculture Minister Shilpi Neha Tirkey said the tribal society is free to follow and adopt its religion.

“It is our fundamental right. The tribal society believes in equality. The Sarna religious code must be included in the seventh column of the Census,” Tirkey said.

"The Sarna code is tied to the faith, traditions and religious identity of tribals. Its recognition has been a long-standing demand, but the BJP has remained silent on the issue," Lohardaga MP Sukhdev Bhagat said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)