Gadchiroli Oct. 1 (District Correspondent) Tribals in the district staged intensive demonstrations and chakka jam agitation in the city today to protest against handing over government schools to the private companies, including Dhangar community in ST category and recruitment of govt. posts through private player.
A large number of tribals, especially youths and women, assembled at Indira Square, the main square of the city at around 12.30 pm and started shouting slogans in support of their demands. The agitators then squatted on all the four roads in the square and stopped the vehicular traffic. The entire traffic on all the four roads had come to a standstill for more than 3 hours due to this agitation.
It was only after the senior police officers reached the agitation was withdrawn. There was tremendous discontent against among the agitators and they shouted repeated slogans against the Gadchiroli MLA and MP for their alleged ‘anti tribal approach’.
The leaders of various political parties and social organizations addressed the gathering and expressed their discontent against the state and the central government for ‘ignoring the tribal issues’. The recent decision of the state government to hand over the government schools to the corporate houses be withdrawn soon as it is going to deprive the tribals, Dalits and obcs from education, they demanded. The leaders also demanded that the recruitment of the government posts should not be done through private companies as it will deny reservation to the backwards. The recruitments be done by the government itself, they demanded.
Mr. Vinod Madavi, Kunal Kowe, Suraj Kodape of Adiwasi Yuwa Parishad, Prashant Madavi of Gondwana Gantantra Party, Kranti Kerami of Adiwasi Vidyarthi sangha, Ganesh Warkhede of Birsa Brigade, Gulabrao Madavi, Vasantrao Kulsange of Veer Baburao Smarak Samiti, Madhaorao Gawad, Sadanand Taram of Adiwasi Employees Federation, Nitin Pada of Gram Sabha Mahasangha, Umesh Uike of Adiwasi Yuwa Sangha, Malta Pudo, archana Tekam, Vidya Dugga of Gondwana Gotul Samiti, Badal Madavi, Aditya Yerme, Bhushan Masram, Kailash Gedam were prominently present during the agitation.
The leaders from different parties- Dr. Namdeo Madavi, former MLA. Dr. Namdeo Kirsan of Congress Party, Rohidas Raut of All india Republican Party, Ramdas Jarate of PWP, Amol Marakwar of CPM, Raj Bansod of BRSP also visited the agitation and extended their support to the agitation.
Dr. Deorao Holi, Gadchiroli MLA also visited the agitation site and tried to speak but the agitators did not allow him to speak and shouted intensive slogans against him.
A memorandum of demands was then submitted to the Tehsildar Mahendra Ganwir at the agitation site itself. The other demands included amendments in Forest Conservation Act be withdrawn, strict implementation of PESA be done, the reduced posts of Talathis be increased, the candidates who could not submit their caste validity certificates be removed from their jobs and special recruitment of tribals be made etc.
A heavy police staff was deployed to maintain the law and order.
