Soren writes to PM Modi, seeks recognition of Sarna religious code for tribals
Ranchi(PTI): Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking recognition of the Sarna' religious code for tribals.
Soren said the population of tribals in the state has declined to 26 per cent from 38 per cent in the last eight decades.
"The concern of protecting the traditional religious existence of tribals... is certainly a serious question. Today, the demand for Tribal/Sarna Religious Code is being raised so that this nature-worshipping tribal community can be confident about its identity.
"At present, when the demand for Uniform Civil Code is being raised by some organisations, positive initiative on this demand of Tribal/Sarna community is absolutely necessary for their protection," he said.
Earlier, the Jharkhand Assembly had unanimously passed a resolution for inclusion of Sarna' as a separate religion in the census.
"You are aware there are many such groups in the tribal community that are on the verge of extinction, and if they are not protected on the principle of social justice, their existence along with the language and culture will come to an end," Soren said in the letter to Modi.
The CM had earlier this year urged President Droupadi Murmu to assist the state gain central approval for its proposal to include the Sarna Code' as a distinct recognised religious category.
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
