New Delhi: As part of the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Bhagwan Birsa Munda, the ‘Janjati Samagam 2026’ was organised at the Red Fort Maidan in Delhi on May 24. Lakhs of tribal people from more than 500 tribal communities across the country participated in this Samagam with traditional attire, folk songs, folk dances, musical instruments and cultural symbols.

A sight of tribal culture was seen on the roads of the capital, Delhi, when huge processions started from various places, including Rajghat Chowk, Ramlila Maidan, Ajmeri Gate Chowk, Qudsia Bagh and Shyamgiri Temple and reached Red Fort Maidan. Tribal communities from Leh-Ladakh to Kanyakumari presented a vibrant glimpse of India’s tribal heritage through their costumes, folk songs, mandar-dhol, traditional dance and cultural expressions.

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah was the chief guest at the event. He described the faith, culture, nature worship, water, forest and land, and lifestyle of the tribal community as being connected to the cultural soul of India and said that this gathering will be remembered as the Mahakumbh of the tribal community in the coming years. He added that the tribal community has implemented the mantra of “unity in diversity” in its life without any written rules.

Speakers present at the gathering said that the tribal community is not only the protector of nature but also an ancient and living form of India’s cultural consciousness. For centuries, tribal societies have been showing the way to maintain a balance between nature and human life by protecting water, forest and land. Today, when the entire world is grappling with an environmental crisis, tribal life philosophy presents an inspiring model of sustainable development.

Representatives of the ‘Tribal Security Forum’ said that this gathering is not just a cultural event but a national reaffirmation of a just demand that has been pending for 75 years, which the entire tribal society of the country is still waiting for. The forum said that tribal identity is not just a subject of the constitutional list but is a question deeply connected with traditional beliefs, culture, customs, social traditions and community lifestyle.

The forum clarified that a person who renounces his traditional tribal faith, culture, customs and social practices should not be granted the constitutional status of Scheduled Tribe (ST) and its benefits. According to the forum, “renunciation of faith is renunciation of culture, and renunciation of culture is renunciation of identity.”

The forum, citing various court judgements, said that the courts have also accepted that if a person becomes completely disconnected from the traditions, social practices and cultural way of life of his community after conversion, then the question of his tribal identity should be examined by the competent authorities. But on a practical level, taking each matter before a separate competent authority or court is extremely difficult and unrealistic for an ordinary tribal person. Therefore, a clear, simple and effective legal system is needed on this subject.

The ‘Janjati Suraksha Manch’ recalled that during April-May 2009-10, a comprehensive campaign was conducted in 293 districts and 26,253 villages across 26 states, and 27.67 lakh signatures were collected from adult tribal members. These signatures were sent to the president through the concerned district collectors and governors. Thereafter, on 18 January 2010, senior tribal leaders visited the then president and requested him to take a decision on this issue at the earliest.

According to the ‘Janjati Suraksha Manch’, since 2011 till now, this campaign has been continuously carried out through Gram Sampark Abhiyan, rallies, district conferences, various programmes in 21 states, 570 lakh postcards to the prime minister and direct dialogue with around 450 MPs.

A delegation of the ‘Janjati Suraksha Manch’ called on Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and His Excellency the President Smt Draupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on 28 May 2026. The delegation apprised the Honourable Prime Minister of important legal and constitutional issues related to tribal welfare. The discussion mainly focused on three main demands, which the Manch has been raising for the last two decades:

First: A clear legal definition of “scheduled tribes” should be framed in line with the Lokur Committee criteria, which are in line with the current social realities.

Second: The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, should also be amended or clarified as necessary so that it is clear that a person who renounces his traditional tribal faith, culture, customs and way of life after conversion will not be considered a member of a Scheduled Tribe.

Third: The long-standing question of protection of cultural identity and constitutional rights of tribal communities, which has been considered by the Supreme Court in ‘Chandramohan v. State’ (2004) and more recently in ‘Chintada Anand v. State of Andhra Pradesh’ (2026 INSC 283).

The forum pointed out that out of the total tribal population of approximately 12 crore, about 1.5 to 2 crore people have converted to Christianity. In many cases, converted tribal persons are getting the benefits of Scheduled Tribe (ST) reservation on the one hand and, on the other hand, are also getting double benefits of minority welfare schemes, which is against the basic spirit of constitutional equality and social justice. This demand was first raised in Parliament in 1970 by the late Dr Kartik Uraan, who received the support of 235 MPs at that time. Since then, the issue has been pending for more than 75 years.

The delegation urged residents to refer the matter to the ‘National Commission for Scheduled Tribes’ for investigation and necessary recommendations as per its constitutional mandate and to make suitable amendments to the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, to free the common tribal citizen from the compulsion of separate judicial proceedings in every case.

The forum stated that this matter is not just a question of reservation or legal interpretation but is a question related to the cultural identity, tradition and existence of crores of tribal people. The tribal community has been waiting peacefully for more than 75 years; now it is time that their just demand be addressed at the earliest and in a positive manner.

The meeting concluded with a national call for effective steps to be taken to protect the cultural identity, traditional beliefs, constitutional rights and social justice of the tribal community.