Thousands of tribals from all 62 tribes of Odisha have banded together under the banner of Odisha. The Jana Jati Suraksha Manch staged a massive rally in Bhubaneswar on Saturday, demanding that tribes that have converted to other religions be removed from the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list.
Thousands of tribes from all 30 districts of Odisha marched from Ram Mandir Square, Shaheed Nagar, and Nayapally Durgamandap in the capital city, dressed in traditional attire. They marched up to Janata Maidan for a large meeting.
The rally and meeting, which aims to preserve heritage and culture, was led by ex-Chhattisgarh Minister Ganeshram Bhagat and many tribal leaders from Odisha, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh.
“Each tribe has its own culture and traditions. When someone converts to another religion, he abandons his original culture. As a result, they must be removed from the reservation list “Bhagat stated.
A protestor also stated that the demand is growing louder across the country, including in Odisha. Tribes from across the state gathered in Bhubaneswar for a meeting at Janata Maidan.