Before the Christmas celebrations, a multitude of tribal individuals, organized under the banner of the Janjati Suraksha Manch (JSM), an affiliate of the RSS-backed Vanvasi Kalyan Kendra, orchestrated the 'Ulgulan Adivasi Ulgulan Maha Rally' at Morabadi Ground in Ranchi. The chief demand articulated by the protestors was the exclusion of individuals from tribal communities who had embraced religions such as Christianity and Islam from the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list.
The rally, characterized by participants adorned in traditional clothing and brandishing customary weapons like bows, arrows, swords, and sickles, attracted tribals from diverse regions within the state. Eminent figures, including Padma Vibhushan awardee and former Union minister Kariya Munda, BJP’s Lok Sabha MP Sudarshan Bhagat, Rajya Sabha member Samir Oraon, and JSM national convener Ganesh Ram Bhagat, participated in the event.
The primary objective of the rally, as emphasized by Sudarshan Bhagat, was to advocate for the exclusion of tribals who had converted to religions other than their indigenous ones from availing of reservation benefits specifically designated for Scheduled Tribes. According to Bhagat, individuals who had embraced Christianity or Islam, constituting only 20% of the population, were availing 80% of the benefits intended for authentic tribals.
Expressing concerns about the rally, the Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha (JJM), a civil rights organization, alleged that it sought to promote communalism among tribals based on religion. The organization addressed these apprehensions in a letter to the chief secretary and Ranchi police administration, urging vigilant monitoring and legal action against any potentially inflammatory speeches during the event.
In defence of its choice of date for the rally, the Janjati Suraksha Manch highlighted the historical significance of December 24, when Birsa Munda initiated the 'Ulgulan' (tumult) in 1899. The JSM also underscored its ongoing efforts to raise awareness about this issue, referencing a similar 'delisting rally' held in Ranchi on November 27 in the preceding year.
