New Delhi, Jul 18 (PTI) The Centre should accept the long-pending demand to recognise ‘Sarna’ as the religion of the country’s tribal people as they have their own way of worship and religious practices, the JMM’s newly elected Rajya Sabha MP Mahua Maji said on Monday.
Speaking to PTI, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader, who took oath as the Member of Parliament in the Upper House on the first day of the Monsoon Session, said she will use the platform to raise the voice of the people of her state and also press the government for giving recognition to ‘Sarna Dharma Code’.
“It’s a long-pending demand of our party. So far, the government has not accepted it,” she said, adding, “…I will become the voice of ‘dharti putra’ (son of the soil) and present my party stand firmly on this issue.” Maji said the country’s tribal people have their own way of worship and religious practices, which is highly different from Sanatan (Hindu) or any other religion.
“Every society has its self-respect and they feel they should be allowed to remain the way they are,” she said.
Tribals worship nature, she said, and sought to know, “Why should somebody else’s religion be imposed on them?” Maji said she will also work for the empowerment of women in the state and make her best efforts to ensure that interests of the people of Jharkhand are protected when the Parliament takes up any legislative business.
“I will try my best to meet the expectations with which my party has sent me here. I will raise my voice in securing the interests of the people of Jharkhand,” she said.
Maji, a sociologist and a Hindi language writer, was elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Jharkhand last month.
JMM supremo Shibu Soren had announced her name as the party’s candidate for Rajya Sabha elections.
Maji, former president of the JMM’s women’s wing, served as the chairperson of the Jharkhand State Commission for Women from 2013 to 2016.
She had unsuccessfully contested the state assembly elections from Ranchi in 2014 and 2019. PTI PK PK CJ CJ
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.