RANCHI, May 21 -- Several prominent tribal leaders, activists, and intellectuals from the state issued a joint appeal on Wednesday, calling for a complete boycott of the upcoming 'Janjati Sanskritik Samagam' on May 24 in New Delhi, people aware of the development said. The convention is expected to draw nearly 1,50,000 tribal participants from across India. While the event's official objective is to celebrate tribal heritage, local leaders strongly argue that the organisers' underlying agenda is inherently anti-tribal. The core opposition stems from the organisers' close affiliation with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram. Signatories of the appeal point out that these groups view tribals as an extension of the Hindu caste hierarchy, consciously substituting the term Adivasi (original inhabitants) with Janjati or Vanvasi (forest dwellers) to dilute their distinct identity. "These organisations are attempting to erase the independent existence of Adivasis by promoting slogans like 'Sarna-Sanatan Are One'. Concurrently, they are creating divisions within the community by demanding the delisting of Christian Adivasis from tribal category," the statement reads. RSS-backed bodies are also accused of opposing long-standing tribal demands, such as official recognition of the independent Sarna religious system and a separate code in the national census....