Time now to pay Ekalavyas back

Time now to pay Ekalavyas back

Ashish Tripathi

17 July 2010, 02:36 PM IST


August 9, 1942, Quit India movement: Like any other part of the country, the whole of Ballia, a backward district of east UP, was on streets against colonial rule, on Gandhi's call. Leaders were arrested overnight but the mass struggle continued, which ironically turned violent after police firings claimed 20 lives during a protest at the district headquarters. As the movement intensified and no help was forthcoming from Delhi, the district authorities on August 19, released the local charismatic leader, Chittu Pandey, requesting him to control the violence. He managed to pacify the infuriated people to some extent and led a non-violent movement which took control of the district and declared it independent on August 20, 1942. People faced bullets but hoisted the Congress flag over government buildings. A "popular government" was established with Pandey as its head. For two days, Ballia was free before the military arrived and brutally crushed the revolt. But the revolt gave Ballia a new name "Baghi Ballia". Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose called Pandey "The Tiger of Ballia".

The incident showed how ordinary people can do extraordinary things. They can live in abject poverty but cannot comprise their self-respect. Voices can be silenced by bullets but any degree of atrocity cannot kill the urge for freedom and justice. The wave of a movement built on moral values, non-violence and sacrifices can wash away even the most powerful regimes.

Nearly 60 years later, around 100km from Ballia, a similar non-violent silent revolution is taking place in Sonbhadra and adjoining districts. Contrary to the "armed uprising" by the Left extremists in West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Bihar, the "revolt" in UP is being led by women of around 500 tribal villages. These women under the banner of the Kaimur Kshetra Mahila Mazdoor Samiti have taken over around 20,000 hectares of forest land and have been using it for cooperative farming for the past two years. Claiming themselves to be the original inhabitants and thus natural owners of the land, the women have not only displayed indomitable courage but also unbelievable capacity to bear sufferings, mental as well as physical, unleashed by the nexus of forest officials, police, forest mafia and mining companies which have also been plundering the forest and its minerals for years.

"India became free in 1947 but the government continued to rule on forest area through colonial Forest Act of 1927. Without conducing a survey, the area was declared a reserve forest after independence. The area included 533 villages. Inhabitants were declared encroachers. They were not allowed to collect dry wood, grass and tendu leaves for survival. Those who violated the 'ban' were booked on false charges of cutting trees and poaching. Our experience with the Naxals is also bad. They take away food and money, exploit our girls and use us as shield against the police," says Lalti Devi, a tribal leader for whom the ongoing movement is a struggle for freedom from the feudal and exploiting system still prevalent in "free" India.

Over a dozen tribes including Gond, Kol, Baiga, Agaria, Ghasia and Punika are found in the forests of Kaimur mountain range, which is also counted among Naxal-affected regions of UP. Over eight lakh people live in abject poverty. Naxals groups gained entry in the 90s. Initially, they were successful in building a cadre. Several incidents of violence also took place till 2007. But tribals in this range have largely kept themselves away from Naxalism as they have found that the Naxals in "power positions" are equally oppressive as those in the seat of power in the government. That's the reason UP's Naxal-infested areas have generally remained peaceful, while the Red Corridor in the rest of India is witnessing bloodbaths.

The National Forum of Forests People and Forest Workers (NFFPFW) has also been working in the area for the past over 10 years, making tribals aware of their rights and encouraging them to fight through democratic means against injustice thrust upon them for thousands of years. As their "popularity" decreased, some Naxal groups have now turned into criminal gangs. They thrive on extortion and have links with police, forest department and mafia. None of these exploiters want tribals to be "awakened" and "empowered" as it will be detrimental to their "business interests". As a result, NFFPFW activists are being threatened and implicated on false charges. Atrocities on tribals have increased. But despite that, tribals have largely opted for a democratic struggle.

The Forests Right Act (FRA) 2006 has now come as a ray of hope as it provides individual and community ownership rights of the forest land to tribals and forest dwellers. But the "nexus" ruling the region has also started creating hurdles in FRA implementation. Of over 71,000 claims filed under the FRA by tribals and forest workers in Sonbhadra, only around 10,000 have been given land titles but that will be legally authentic only after geographical mapping of the region. Around 51,000 claims were rejected on frivolous grounds allegedly at the behest of forest officers.

In August 2009, around 200 tribal and dalit families in Magardah village were displaced, their house burnt and cattle confiscated allegedly by forest personnel on grounds that these people belonged to Jharkhand but had settled here a few years ago to take FRA benefits. Displaced families agitated for months but when no help came, on March 16, 2010, they decided to take the possession of the land on their own. But on the way they were attacked allegedly by the goons of mafia and forest personnel. Women were raped and tortured. One of them suffered a miscarriage. Their leaders were detained illegally by the forest personnel. But police did not touch the attackers. Instead, they arrested tribal leaders for "creating trouble". The victims agitated for three months when finally, on the intervention of the chief minister's office an FIR was lodged against 20 forest personnel. It was the first time in the area that forest personnel were booked on tribals' complaints. It was also a big victory for the people that their voice was heard at the top level, though they have not got possession of their land yet.


The two-day freedom of Ballia in 1942 before actual independence came in 1947 made the colonial masters realise that they won't be able to stay in India for long. Likewise, rulers today need to realise that it's high time they undid the historical injustice done to the tribals. Moreover, by rewarding the non-violent struggle of Sonbhadra, the government can send a message to tribals in Naxal-infested areas to shun violence, come for a dialogue and join the mainstream. Otherwise, violence will only beget violence, be it of the State or Naxals. And, by accepting demands of tribals and compensating for the oppression they have faced for generations, the government will not be doing any favour but giving tribals their due.

It reminds me of Ekalavya's story in the Mahabharata. Ekalavya, a tribal, wanted to learn archery from Dronacharya, the guru of Kauravas and Pandavas. Drona had promised Pandava prince Arjuna to make him the best archer in the world. Drona, a brahmin, refused to teach Ekalavya as the latter was a shudra. But Ekalavya learnt the art by secretly observing Drona's classes. He become a better archer than Arjuna. When Drona came to know about it, he asked Ekalavya to give his right thumb as "guru dakshina". Ekalavya obeyed but after losing the thumb, he lost the status of the best archer. Drona (elite class) by asking Ekalavya (oppressed masses) to sacrifice his thumb (atrocities) ensured that Arjuna (ruling class) becomes the best archer. The situation has not changed. Now, it's time for the government and the privileged class to pay Ekalavya back.