Chamra Linda

Jamshedpur, Dec. 2: Thirty-four-year-old Chamra Linda has a mission in life ? to ensure justice for tribals, who have been exploited for long.

Linda, who hails from a place near Hatia, is the eldest of the three sons of a retired worker of Heavy Engineering Corporation. He quit his engineering studies at BIT-Mesra so that his younger brother could complete his course at the Indian School of Mines (ISM).

Soft-spoken and emotional by nature, Linda can take to the path of violence if it helps improve the lives of tribals. ?Unlike other tribal leaders, I do not have any political ambition. But I have a vision ? to stop rampant discrimination against the people of our community in the state, which was created for the benefit of Adivasis,? Linda told The Telegraph and added that the tribals can even take to the streets to get justice.

After quitting BIT-Mesra, Linda completed his bachelors in Arts from Ranchi College in 1993. ?I was pursuing my engineering in BIT-Mesra when my younger brother got admitted in ISM. Since my parents could not afford to pay for both of us, I volunteered to quit my engineering studies. But I do not regret my decision as one cannot change his or her destiny,? the tribal leader said.

Linda hit the headlines about three years ago during the debate over the domicile issue. His mentor, veteran tribal leader and former BJP parliamentarian Salkhan Murmu, was the first to realise Linda?s potential to lead from the front and play a significant role in the domicile movement.

Linda, along with Bandhu Tirkey, supported Murmu in the movement. However, the three parted ways later due to difference of opinion. Linda formed the Adivasi Chatra Sangh, of which he is now the central president.

?Yes, we fell apart since our priorities were different. As I have stated, my priority was not to contest polls and win them. I am least interested in making politics my career. We have to make our people aware of their rights. And for this, we can even start a mass movement,? Linda said. But despite his claims of politics not being his career, he did contest this year?s Lok Sabha election from the Lohardaga constituency as an Independent. ?I was forced to do so by my supporters, who wanted me to gauge my popularity among tribals. And 60,000 tribals did vote for me,? he said.

However, his detractors allege that Linda lacks the farsightedness, which a politician needs to contest elections. ?Look, he too has political ambitions like us. But the kind of politics he is into will take him nowhere. He can?t bank only on tribals to give shape to his ambitions. Linda will fade into oblivion, just like his mentor, if he wants to become an elected representative with the help of tribal voters only,? said a former associate, who later parted ways with Linda.