Ranchi, Oct. 22: Around 10,000 tribals from across the state turned up at Morabadi grounds in Ranchi to take part in a mega rally against the ordinances to amend Chotanagpur Tenancy Act and Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act despite the state government's efforts to thwart them, which even led to police firing in Khunti, killing one person.
The participants of Adivasi Akrosh, as the rally was titled, had congregated under the aegis of Jharkhand Adivasi Sangharsh Morcha, carrying traditional weapons like axes, bows and arrows, catapults, javelins, swords and even sharp-edged locally made daulis and hansuas. They were men and women from Sarna and Christian communities, who somehow managed to reach the state capital in small vehicles and two-wheelers after the administration banned entry of buses.
The rally, which was scheduled to start at noon, kicked off at 1pm and continued till 5.30pm, turning into a platform for Opposition unity. Around 20 speakers from various parties and social organisations addressed the gathering.
Prominent among them were former chief minister and JVM chief Babulal Marandi, Rajya Sabha MP and Congress leader Pradeep Balmuchu, former human resource development ministers Geeta Shree Oraon and Bandhu Tirkey, Torpa MLA Paulus Surin, former director of Jharkhand State Tribal Welfare and Research Institute Prakash Oraon and Ranchi University professor Karma Oraon.
Marandi, who is already at the forefront of another Opposition agitation against the October 1 police firing in Barkagaon, Hazaribagh, said the ordinances were a breach of trust. "During election time, it was touted that the BJP would not bring any change in the CNT and SPT Acts. But when the party came to power, it silently brought ordinances, suggesting amendments in the tribal land Acts," he said.
Balmuchu said: "The government, enjoying majority in the House, should have discussed the amendments to the Act in the Assembly. Making effort to bring changes by way of ordinances is wrong. It should immediately take them back," he said.
Congress leader Geeta Shree Oraon added: "Raghubar Das should have taken at least his party's tribal MLAs into confidence before bringing out the ordinances."
Former HRD minister Tirkey warned tribal leaders, who are justifying the ordinances. "If there is nothing wrong in bringing the change, why wasn't the matter discussed in the House?" he asked.
Prakash Oraon questioned the purpose of land acquisition. "Why the government is trying to give land to private companies when it failed to properly use the one acquired for Heavy Engineering Corporation and Bokaro Steel Plant?" he asked.
It was decided that the tribals would extend their support to the October 24 bandh called by the Opposition against Barkagaon and Gola (Ramgarh) firings. This apart, effigies of chief minister Das will be burnt in every village, panchayat, block and district headquarters on November 8.
The tribals also announced another statewide bandh on December 14, angry that the administration tried to prevent them from participating in the rally by deliberately intercepting their vehicles in the name of document checks. Also, several barricades were put up at various points in the city.
There was no major traffic jam, except snarls on roads connecting to Morabadi grounds. While many schools remained closed, it was a holiday at the government secretariat and banks on account of fourth Saturday.
"The rally passed peacefully. Section 144 was clamped around Morabadi grounds," said deputy commissioner Manoj Kumar.
