The trunk body associated with the RSS looks for changes in the ST state of the converted trunks

A delegation of the Janjatiya Suraksha Manch (JSM) submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murma demanding changes in the constitutional framework governing Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for tribes who convert to another religion. The JSM is a tribal rights body affiliated to the RSS-backed Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram.

The organization called for “legal and constitutional guarantees” to protect the cultural identity and rights of tribal communities. Its demands include a statutory definition of “Scheduled Tribe” based on the criteria laid down by the Lokur Committee, amendments or clarifications to the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, and measures to preserve tribal customs and traditions.

At a press conference in Delhi on Friday (May 29, 2026), JSM officials reiterated the organisation’s long-standing demand that tribals who “abandon traditional tribal beliefs, customs and way of life after conversion” should not continue to get reservation benefits meant for Scheduled Tribes.

Conversion increased

Satyendra Singh, president of VKA, said that the memorandum was submitted to both the Prime Minister and the President. “We have been assured that justice will be done,” he said. Mr. Singh claimed that religious conversions among tribal communities had increased significantly and described the trend as a social and national problem.

According to JSM representatives, out of India’s tribal population of nearly 12 million, recorded in the 2011 census, an estimated 1.5 to 2 million people have converted to Christianity.

Rajkishor Hansda, JSM’s national co-conference, said the discussions with the prime minister focused on “urgent legal and constitutional issues related to tribal welfare”.

Sources in the organization said the delegation sought a provision similar to that applicable to scheduled castes, under which a tribal person who embraces another religion after abandoning traditional tribal practices would cease to be recognized as a member of a scheduled tribe.

A call for a panel study

The organization claimed that such a position had earlier been recommended by the Joint Parliamentary Committee in 1969 and had also found support in several Supreme Court judgments. She further urged the government to refer the matter to the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST).

The organization claimed that its demands were not directed against any religion. It said that if the government intends to extend social assistance to economically weaker converts, it could do so through a separate mechanism rather than through quotas reserved for Scheduled Tribes.

The delegation also raised concerns about the proposed Great Nicobar Infrastructure Project in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Mr Singh said that while the project is of strategic importance, including for maritime security in the Indian Ocean region, the government should consult local communities likely to be affected and continue development in dialogue with residents.

Published – 29 May 2026 22:44 IST