Whither Pathalgadi movement in India

Radical Pathalgadi leaders have, in recent days, tried to create a self-sufficient governance system in the region that is separated from the state

The term Pathalgadiin tribal language refers to placing a stone with a message emblazoned on it. Actually, the term “Pathalgadi” is a recent version of the aged Sasandar” tribal ritual. Traditionally, Sasandari is a ritual practiced by various tribes, particularly those belonging to the Austro-Asiatic group, during the cremation of a deceased person. The act of placing a stone at the tomb of a deceased person during the burial is termed Sasandiri. It is believed by the tribal people that a Munda is born from the earth, and when she dies and is buried, a stone is placed on her head so that she rests in peace within the earth. After the Provisions of the Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Area) Act (PESA Act) came into existence in the year 1996, two former bureaucrats and noted tribal rights activists, IAS officer B.D. Sharma and IPS officer Bandi Oraon, initiated the practice of placing stone slabs inscribed with rules and provisions of the PESA Act to raise awareness among the tribal villagers. Since then, the term Pathalgadigained popularity, eventually replacing the old term Sasandiri.

Now the word Pathalgadi is used for the burial ritual of the tribal as well. Thus, Pathalgadi Movement derives its name from the tribal ritual Sasandari. The PESA Act is in force in Fifth Scheduled Areas of the Indian Constitution, which cover most districts of the Jharkhand in India. According to the Act, “Gram Sabha” plays a decisive role in many vital issues of the tribal community including local law and order issues and thus, the governmental administration has to go by the decision of the Gram Sabha managed by the tribal people. 20 years later, in 2016, the tribal of Khunti district of Jharkhand, which happens to be the birth place of great tribal leaders like Birsa Munda and Jaipal Singh, resurrected the movement with a different agenda. During last two years, Munda villagers from several villages in Khunti District restarted performing Pathalgadi in the same way as popularized by the predecessor Sharma and Oraon, detailing on stones the powers of the Gram Sabha and other provisions laid down in the Fifth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. At the bottom of the stone, they added, “outsiders are not allowed into the village without the permission of the Gram Sabha”. They started asserting their rights as an independent people, using the rules those are applicable to the inhabitants residing within the jurisdictions of the Fifth Schedule areas. The tribal people of the region have been alleging for years that successive State Governments have not been following the special provisions created for them by means of Fifth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. Discontent slowly built up, eventually has taken the shape of mass tribal agitation in form of Pathalgadi movement. Their battle is aimed to reclaim their rights over “jal, jangal and zameen” (water, forest and land) of the region.

Khunti District in Jharkhand has emerged as the epicentre of the movement. The Pathalgadi movement that started with few villagers in Khunti District in 2016 has now reached a massive tribal protest in 2018, when about 200 villages under the district partnered with the movement and declared villages and forests under the jurisdiction as their ancestrally owned resources. In more than half of these villages, people have established Pathalgadi and barred the entry of outsiders. Pathalgadi activists have started educating the villagers of Khunti, Gumla and Singhbhum Districts about the provisions for the development of tribal people as laid down in the Indian Constitution. It has been reported that stone plaques and signboards have come up at the entry points of over 100 villages in the state of Jharkhand. Such “stone order” sends away the authority of Government of India and the State Government in many tribal villages, as they consider that the Government is not keen to hear tribal voices and is least bothered for tribal developments. They argued that the tribal region in the Jharkhand state is a separate ‘Dishum’ (Country) and banned the Government and outsiders (Dikus) from entering into their declared ‘Dishum’ without permission from the Gram Sabha.

Pathalgadi movement, despite its metaphysical ideology and over-reliance on the Indian Constitution, has turned into a vital issue for the ruler to reckon with. Radical Pathalgadi leaders have, in recent days, tried to create a self-sufficient governance system in the region that is separated from the state, forming a Bank of their own and following a unique education policy, as well as setting in flames Voter ID and Aadhar cards as issued by the Indian State. The self-rule movement has opened the first tribal Bank in India completely ignoring Indian Banking Regulation System and the Reserve Bank of India. As a process of the movement, they have established tribal schools for teaching tribal children in their own language and followed a syllabus that serve the tribal causes. They have structured their own security forces with tribal arms. Recently, they have asked for applications from more tribal youths to join in their self-formulated security forces. Tribal in the region are now mass boycotting the identity proofs like Voter Card and Aadhar Card issued by the Indian State labeling them as anti-tribal; instead, the Gram Sabha of the locality has issued Identity Card for the tribal people under its jurisdiction. What has added fire to the situation is the backup involvement of the Moaist into the movement, as alleged. The BJP and the State Govt. led by it are blaming the Maoists for instigating the Pathalgadi movement activists against the Indian State. On the other hand, it is alleged that local Church is also behind the Pathalgadi movement, which, according to the ruling BJP dispensation, is because the State Govt. led by Mr. Raghubar Das enacted the Religious Freedom Bill, 2017, to check religious conversion, which was rampant in the state. Though the Church has vehemently denied its involvement in any form with the Pathalgadi movement, it has alleged that the perception of the BJP led State Govt. is anti-tribal.

Meanwhile, few weeks ago, five activists of a street theatre group, which was performing a play to generate awareness in the tribal locality against trafficking, were abducted and gang raped. The team of artists had been called to a school in Kochang by a Roman Catholic priest. The police arrested the priest and a few other suspects with the incidence. The police accused that the abduction and gang rape were committed by the activists involved with the Pathalgadi movement. On the other hand, activists leading the Pathalgadi movement condemned the incidence of gang rape and demanded prosecution of the real accused.

Learning about their rights and rediscovering their rich legacy of struggle against injustice and aggression, the tribal people in Jharkhand, Chhatrisgarh and Orissa are preparing themselves for a stronger self-sufficient governance movement and to thwart the Government’s attempts to usurp the land, forests and rivers that the tribal have nurtured since the time immemorial. As a part of the movement, they have already established a parallel supportive governance system in the tribal locality by means of opening tribal bank, establishing tribal schools, formulating own armed security forces, issuing separate Tribal Identity Card through Gram Sabha etc., completely ignoring the social and economic laws of the Indian State. With over 100 tribal villages declaring their sovereignty over governance system of the Indian State, Jharkhand, though identified as Maoist dominated district, has never come upon such crisis before. The State Government has failed to contain the parallel governance system run by the tribal Gram Sabha. It is evident that the tribal people in Indai have suffered most in the question of injustice and ethnic developmental issues. Moreover, tribal populations in many areas have been evicted for state-sponsored corporate aggression for unearthing rich minerals in tribal populated areas. Whenever tribal people protested against their forceful eviction from birth soil and forests, the Govt. stamped them as Maoists and unleashed police terror on them. Hundreds of tribal youth were killed in staged encounters by the police and the central forces operating in Indian Government’s largest war on civilians, “Operation Green Hunt”, which aimed at evicting and massacring tribal to pave way for mighty indigenous and multinational mining corporations. To combat with such adverse governance system, although tribal people in Jharkhand District have already established a parallel self-ruled state within the Indian State by means of Pathalgadi movement; yet, I apprehend that separatism can hardly solve these fundamental issues of the tribal people. Only future can answer the rest.   

The writer is  IUC Research Associate Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, Shimla, India

Email [email protected] ;  [email protected]           

 

Whither Pathalgadi movement in India

Radical Pathalgadi leaders have, in recent days, tried to create a self-sufficient governance system in the region that is separated from the state

The term Pathalgadiin tribal language refers to placing a stone with a message emblazoned on it. Actually, the term Pathalgadi is a recent version of the aged Sasandar tribal ritual. Traditionally, Sasandari is a ritual practiced by various tribes, particularly those belonging to the Austro-Asiatic group, during the cremation of a deceased person. The act of placing a stone at the tomb of a deceased person during the burial is termed Sasandiri. It is believed by the tribal people that a Munda is born from the earth, and when she dies and is buried, a stone is placed on her head so that she rests in peace within the earth. After the Provisions of the Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Area) Act (PESA Act) came into existence in the year 1996, two former bureaucrats and noted tribal rights activists, IAS officer B.D. Sharma and IPS officer Bandi Oraon, initiated the practice of placing stone slabs inscribed with rules and provisions of the PESA Act to raise awareness among the tribal villagers. Since then, the term Pathalgadigained popularity, eventually replacing the old term Sasandiri. Now the word Pathalgadi is used for the burial ritual of the tribal as well. Thus, Pathalgadi Movement derives its name from the tribal ritual Sasandari. The PESA Act is in force in Fifth Scheduled Areas of the Indian Constitution, which cover most districts of the Jharkhand in India. According to the Act, Gram Sabha plays a decisive role in many vital issues of the tribal community including local law and order issues and thus, the governmental administration has to go by the decision of the Gram Sabha managed by the tribal people. 20 years later, in 2016, the tribal of Khunti district of Jharkhand, which happens to be the birth place of great tribal leaders like Birsa Munda and Jaipal Singh, resurrected the movement with a different agenda. During last two years, Munda villagers from several villages in Khunti District restarted performing Pathalgadi in the same way as popularized by the predecessor Sharma and Oraon, detailing on stones the powers of the Gram Sabha and other provisions laid down in the Fifth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. At the bottom of the stone, they added, outsiders are not allowed into the village without the permission of the Gram Sabha. They started asserting their rights as an independent people, using the rules those are applicable to the inhabitants residing within the jurisdictions of the Fifth Schedule areas. The tribal people of the region have been alleging for years that successive State Governments have not been following the special provisions created for them by means of Fifth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. Discontent slowly built up, eventually has taken the shape of mass tribal agitation in form of Pathalgadi movement. Their battle is aimed to reclaim their rights over jal, jangal and zameen (water, forest and land) of the region. Khunti District in Jharkhand has emerged as the epicentre of the movement. The Pathalgadi movement that started with few villagers in Khunti District in 2016 has now reached a massive tribal protest in 2018, when about 200 villages under the district partnered with the movement and declared villages and forests under the jurisdiction as their ancestrally owned resources. In more than half of these villages, people have established Pathalgadi and barred the entry of outsiders. Pathalgadi activists have started educating the villagers of Khunti, Gumla and Singhbhum Districts about the provisions for the development of tribal people as laid down in the Indian Constitution. It has been reported that stone plaques and signboards have come up at the entry points of over 100 villages in the state of Jharkhand. Such stone order sends away the authority of Government of India and the State Government in many tribal villages, as they consider that the Government is not keen to hear tribal voices and is least bothered for tribal developments. They argued that the tribal region in the Jharkhand state is a separate Dishum (Country) and banned the Government and outsiders (Dikus) from entering into their declared Dishum without permission from the Gram Sabha. Pathalgadi movement, despite its metaphysical ideology and over-reliance on the Indian Constitution, has turned into a vital issue for the ruler to reckon with. Radical Pathalgadi leaders have, in recent days, tried to create a self-sufficient governance system in the region that is separated from the state, forming a Bank of their own and following a unique education policy, as well as setting in flames Voter ID and Aadhar cards as issued by the Indian State. The self-rule movement has opened the first tribal Bank in India completely ignoring Indian Banking Regulation System and the Reserve Bank of India. As a process of the movement, they have established tribal schools for teaching tribal children in their own language and followed a syllabus that serve the tribal causes. They have structured their own security forces with tribal arms. Recently, they have asked for applications from more tribal youths to join in their self-formulated security forces. Tribal in the region are now mass boycotting the identity proofs like Voter Card and Aadhar Card issued by the Indian State labeling them as anti-tribal; instead, the Gram Sabha of the locality has issued Identity Card for the tribal people under its jurisdiction. What has added fire to the situation is the backup involvement of the Moaist into the movement, as alleged. The BJP and the State Govt. led by it are blaming the Maoists for instigating the Pathalgadi movement activists against the Indian State. On the other hand, it is alleged that local Church is also behind the Pathalgadi movement, which, according to the ruling BJP dispensation, is because the State Govt. led by Mr. Raghubar Das enacted the Religious Freedom Bill, 2017, to check religious conversion, which was rampant in the state. Though the Church has vehemently denied its involvement in any form with the Pathalgadi movement, it has alleged that the perception of the BJP led State Govt. is anti-tribal. Meanwhile, few weeks ago, five activists of a street theatre group, which was performing a play to generate awareness in the tribal locality against trafficking, were abducted and gang raped. The team of artists had been called to a school in Kochang by a Roman Catholic priest. The police arrested the priest and a few other suspects with the incidence. The police accused that the abduction and gang rape were committed by the activists involved with the Pathalgadi movement. On the other hand, activists leading the Pathalgadi movement condemned the incidence of gang rape and demanded prosecution of the real accused. Learning about their rights and rediscovering their rich legacy of struggle against injustice and aggression, the tribal people in Jharkhand, Chhatrisgarh and Orissa are preparing themselves for a stronger self-sufficient governance movement and to thwart the Governments attempts to usurp the land, forests and rivers that the tribal have nurtured since the time immemorial. As a part of the movement, they have already established a parallel supportive governance system in the tribal locality by means of opening tribal bank, establishing tribal schools, formulating own armed security forces, issuing separate Tribal Identity Card through Gram Sabha etc., completely ignoring the social and economic laws of the Indian State. With over 100 tribal villages declaring their sovereignty over governance system of the Indian State, Jharkhand, though identified as Maoist dominated district, has never come upon such crisis before. The State Government has failed to contain the parallel governance system run by the tribal Gram Sabha. It is evident that the tribal people in Indai have suffered most in the question of injustice and ethnic developmental issues. Moreover, tribal populations in many areas have been evicted for state-sponsored corporate aggression for unearthing rich minerals in tribal populated areas. Whenever tribal people protested against their forceful eviction from birth soil and forests, the Govt. stamped them as Maoists and unleashed police terror on them. Hundreds of tribal youth were killed in staged encounters by the police and the central forces operating in Indian Governments largest war on civilians, Operation Green Hunt, which aimed at evicting and massacring tribal to pave way for mighty indigenous and multinational mining corporations. To combat with such adverse governance system, although tribal people in Jharkhand District have already established a parallel self-ruled state within the Indian State by means of Pathalgadi movement; yet, I apprehend that separatism can hardly solve these fundamental issues of the tribal people. Only future can answer the rest. The writer is IUC Research Associate Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, Shimla, India Email [email protected] ; [email protected]