Tribals defy police, stage land protests

RANCHI: Tribals from various parts of the state assembled at Morhabadi ground on Saturday for the Adivasi akrosh rally despite heavy deployment of forces and barricading at the entry points in the capital. While the maharally was in progress at Morhabadi ground, chief minister Raghubar Das chose to address tribal chieftains at Dhurwa ground where he made best efforts to convince them that the proposed amendments to CNT and SPT Acts were in favour of the tribal. This was the same time when leaders almost all opposition parties were addressing a tribal gathering of over 40 tribal outfits at Morhabadi ground, telling them how the pro-trader government was trying to dilute both land protection Acts and facilitate entry of corporate houses in the state. The individual show of strength by government through gram vikas sammelan and by tribal outfits resulted in death of one villager in Khunti and injury to over a dozen people including few policemen. Government went for heavy deployment of forces on all entry points of the capital to stop entry of those coming to attend the maharally at Morhabadi ground but despite best efforts thousands of tribals, mostly armed with traditional weapons reached the rally ground and announced a decisive fight against the government in the wake of police atrocities.Tribal leaders across party line gathered at Morhabadi ground and vehemently criticised Das government for being dictatorial in subverting democratic rights of the people besides tampering with century-old land protection rights of the tribal. Co-convener of the rally and former Mandar MLA Bandhu Tirkey said that the tribals have been successful in demonstrating their angst against the anti-tribal policies of Das government by defying all restrictions. "We have been peaceful and abide by the Indian constitution to exercise right to freedom of speech and expression but the dictatorial government left no stones unturned to stop the people from joining rally which is completely undemocratic," he said.The rally was attended by tribal leaders from across various political affiliations. It was attended by Congress Rajya Sabha MP Pradeep Balmuchu, former chief minister and JVM chief Babu Lal Marandi, JMM MLA Paulus Surin, former congress minister Geetashree Oraon, former BJP member Dev Kumar Dhan former director Jharkhand tribal welfare and research institute Prakash Oraon, academician and chief convener of the rally Dr Karma Oraon and representatives of various tribal social outfits.Marandi congratulated those attending the rally for defying all restrictions put by government forces and asked them to continue with the agitation. "It is responsibility of those who attended the rally to go back and tell fellow men about the dictatorial and anti-tribal behaviour of the Das government," he said asking those supporting the tribal BJP MLAs to realise their real situation under a government where there is a ban on public protests.As police barricading stopped entry of vehicles, thousands of tribals walked down more than 15-20 Kms to reach the rally ground while many could not reach. One of the groups from Bero reached at around 3PM while the group of 300 tribals, all brandishing traditional weapons, from forest areas of Kharsidag village under Namkom block reached by 1.30PM. "Our children walk 10-12 Kms everyday to reach school and government was foolish in stopping the vehicles to stop tribals from coming to the rally because they have the stamina to walk 15-20Kms at a stretch," saidDr Praveen Oraon.Another tribal leader Virendra Bhagat asked the villagers intercepted by police on way to lodge case in CJM court under SC/ST atrocities act against the policemen and criticised for being treated as Naxalites. "Das government has branded all tribals as extremists (read naxals) and have treated them in the same manner which is nothing but racial discrimination," he said.