Tribals perform a dance to celebrate Santhal Hul Day in Dumka on Thursday. Picture by Rajesh Kumar Pandey

Dumka, June 30: Cries for preservation of a centuries-old tradition of self-rule and strict execution of land laws marked the 156th Santhal Hul Day celebrations at the sub-capital here today.

Although more than one-and-a-half century has passed by since martyr brothers Sido and Kanhu and Santhal revolutionaries Chand and Bhairav led a revolt against British imperialism in 1855, discontent was writ large among thousands of gram pradhans (traditional village heads) who gathered in Dumka from across the region.

Social and political organisations also joined in, accusing subsequent state governments of failing to implement the Santhal Pargana Tenancy (SPT) Act and maintain the traditional pradhani system of self-rule in villages.

The village heads took out a procession through the main thoroughfares in the divisional headquarters and shouted slogans in support of the pradhani system, which was accorded legal status by the British regime in 1856 and strengthened further by granting additional authority in 1872.

After garlanding the statues of Sido and Kanhu at Pokhra Chowk, the rally headed for the SK Indoor Stadium culminating in a public meeting.

Deputy chief minister Hemant Soren, who was the chief guest, reassured the gram pradhans that the government was committed to sustaining traditional self-rule. “The SPT Act will remain enforced under any circumstances so that the distinct identity of Santhal Pargana is preserved. The identity of its people was built on the sacrifices of thousands who had laid down their lives fighting the British,” the Dumka MLA added, urging the new generation to take inspiration from the Santhal uprising.

The Gram Pradhan Manjhi Sangathan has been opposed to the introduction of the panchayati raj system in Santhal Pargana. It has even sought greater powers for the pradhani system than the newly formed panchayat bodies.

“The panchayat elections in Santhal Pargana was in contravention of the SPT Act and turned the headship of pradhans, who are in place to safeguard the interests of local residents, insignificant,” Bhim Prasad Mandal, the president of the sangathan, told The Telegraph.

They also submitted an 11-point memorandum to the deputy commissioner. Their demands included direct participation of gram pradhans in development projects in villages, formation of village headmen councils for mediation with the government on development issues, life insurance cover for the headmen, establishment of a high court bench and village courts in Dumka and a uniform education policy.

The CPI(ML) and All India progressive Women’s Association also organised programmes to commemorate Santhal Hul Day and demanded return of land acquired from tribals and native dwellers.

“We must be prepared for another hul to retain our glorious past,” Ramchandra Manjhi, the secretary of the district CPI(ML) told a gathering of party workers.

Students of SP College also celebrated the occasion by organising a separate programme that was presided over by Sido Kanhu Murmu University vice chancellor M. Basheer Ahmad Khan. He said the varsity would soon establish a research centre in the name of the martyr duo to encourage study of Santhal history. The vice chancellor of Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University, K.N. Dubey was the chief guest.

A special programme was also held at Bhognadih, the birthplace of Sido and Kanhu in Sahibganj, in which various social and political organisations paid homage to the heroes. Hemant and health minister Hemlal Murmu felicitated the descendants of the Murmu brothers.