Gadchiroli Oct. 20m (District correspondent) A huge morcha was taken out today on the collectorate here by ‘Adiwasi Bachao Kruti Samiti’ to oppose the inclusion of Dhangar community into Scheduled Tribes category and other demands.
The morcha started from Shivaji Mahavidyalaya on Dhanora Road and proceeded to the collectorate winding through main streets of the city shouting slogans of demands and holding banners and placards.
On reaching the collectorate, a delegation of the leaders met the district Collector Sanjay Meena and submitted him a memorandum of demands addressed to the Chief minister.
The other demands raised in the memorandum included bogus tribal employees be dismissed from services and criminal action be taken against them, 17 government posts in PESA area be filled in from amongst the tribals, govt. schools should not be privatized, Gondi language be script be accorded govt. approval and included in the schedule of languages, forest right pattas be issued to the encroachers, jobs be reserved for the project affected tribals in the district.
Schools with low attendance should not be closed down, cases of sexual exploitation of tribal women be conducted in fast courts and guilty be given death penalty, tribal religious places be brought on govt. record, Gondwana University be given the status of central university, khawti scheme be sanctioned for the tribals as earlier, hostels be started for tribal students immediately after the schools are started, vacant posts in Tribal Validity committee be filled in soon were also the other demands.
Mr. Ghanshyam Madavi, President of the Kruti Samiti, Bharat Yerme, Madhukar Uike, President of All India Adiwasi Employees Federation, Madhao Gawad, Gulab Madavi, Prashant Madavi, Sadanand Taram, Dr. Deorao Holi, Dr. Dewaji Tofa, MLA, Dr. Namdeo Usendi, Anandraao Gedam, former MLAs, Dr. Namdeo Kirsan, Vishwajeet Kowase, Vilas Kodap, Nandu Narote, M. M. Atram, Krishnarao Parteki, Suryakant Uike, Padmakar Mankar, Anand Kangale, Dinesh Sheram, Ms. Jayshree Yerme, Laxmi Kannake, Mangala Sayam, Sunita Usendi, Pushpalata Kumre, Chandrakumar Usendi were prominently present in the front of the morcha.
Mr. Bharat Yerme briefed the Collector about the demands of the morcha and the Collector assured the delegation to solve the issues at the district level. Elaborate police staff was deployed during the morcha to maintain the law and order.
A large number of tribals from the different parts of the district participated in the morcha wearing yellow dupattas. The atmosphere of the entire city of Gadchiroli was filled with the slogans and traditional tribal dances presented by the youths during the passing of morcha. The scenes depicting the great revolutionaries Birsa Munda and Veer Baburao Shedmake were also displayed during this morcha that attracted the attention of the people.
It was the huge morcha witnessed in the recent past in which members of the tribal community from hook and corner of the district had participated.
