Red Fort Becomes Ground Zero for Tribal Protest as Thousands Of Protesters March To Delhi’s Iconic Monument Demanding De-Listing Of Converted ST Members

Key Points

Thousands upon thousands of tribal community members marched to the national capital’s iconic historic monument of Red fort— one of the prime hotspots for protests and demonstrations— to call for the de-listing of converted tribal members from the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category. On Sunday, 24th May 2026, the grounds of Red Fort were marked by raised flags and the shouting of slogans advocating for removal of converted christians and muslims from the ST category.

Helmed by the Janjati Suraksha Manch (JSM), a RSS-affiliated tribal rights advocacy organization, the protest, officially titled “Janajati Sanskritik Samagam,” included individuals from over 500 tribal communities. The protest was organized on the backdrop of the 150th birth anniversary year of Bhagwan Birsa Munda, a tribal independence activist and folk icon. Union Home Minister Amit Shah was also present at the protest. 

Talking about the protest, Maalaya Jigdung, a leader in the Assam Wing of the JSM, said: "This cultural programme is aimed at giving a major push to our long-pending demand for de-listing converted tribals from the Scheduled Tribe category. This issue goes back to the time of tribal leader Kartik Oraon ji, who raised it before the then prime minister Indira Gandhi in the late 1960s." He further reiterated that the mass mobilization would result in the building of wider national support for a constitutional amendment under article 342. 

Congress MP and tribal leader from Bihar, Kartik Oraon, had previously submitted a memorandum signed by thousands back in 1967 and 1970, which sought to remove scheduled tribes benefits for those tribal individuals who had converted to Christianity and Islam.

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“This has been one of our oldest demands and the core objective behind the formation of the Janjati Suraksha Manch. Through this programme, we have showcased tribal cultural identity while also strengthening our movement for de-listing,” Jigdung said in a statement to PTI.

Article 342 of the Indian Constitution empowers the President to identify and designate particular tribes or tribal communities as ‘Scheduled Tribes’ (STs) in each state or Union Territory. This provision forms the basis for “affirmative action measures,” including reservations in education, employment, and political representation, as well as various protective and welfare schemes which seek to improve the conditions of the marginalized indigenous communities.

Projected to be one of the largest mobilizations of tribal communities in recent history, the protest saw participation of tribal groups from various states such as Assam, Tripura, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and other regions as well.

The event commenced with cultural processions originating from five of Delhi’s prominent locations— Rajghat Chowk, Ramlila Maidan, Ajmeri Gate Chowk, Qudsia Bagh near Kashmiri Gate, and Shyamgiri Temple near Shastri Park Bus Depot. Protestors covered around 2.5 to 3.5 miles, eventually converging at the Red Fort Grounds. Protesters were seen donning their tribal outfits, raising tribal flags, marching to the beating of the drums, and performing tribal dances as they marched down the streets of Delhi. 

Balaram Phangcho, organising secretary of the North East Janajati Dharm Sanskriti Suraksha Manch from Assam’s Karbi Anglong district, revealed that 2,000 to 2,500 people had travelled from his district alone to be a part of the mobilization. 

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"This kind of programme is being organised for the first time. We have to protect the very existence of tribal communities. Those who have converted, especially to Islam or Christianity, should be removed from the Scheduled Tribe category. De-listing should be done through an amendment under Article 342," he said.

The main focus of the protests is the demand for “de-listing”— the removal of converted tribals from the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category under the Constitution. At present, communities listed as Scheduled Tribes enjoy reservation benefits in education, government jobs, elections, and various welfare schemes.

Explaining the core demand, Janjati Kalyan Ashram leader Atul Walvi said the protest is aimed at preserving tribal identity and traditions “Those who have abandoned their original tribal culture, customs, and worship systems after converting to another religion should not continue to receive benefits meant for Scheduled Tribes,” Walvi asserted.

He added, “The benefits of tribal reservation should remain only with those who are still connected to traditional tribal faith, customs, and social systems.”

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