Udaipur: "After the Dalits' historic protest in Gujarat, it will be the Adivasis of the whole country who will rise up in rebellion against the Modi government." This was stated by Brinda Karat, former MP and the member of the polit bureau of CPIM. She was here in Udaipur for the National workshop of Adivasi Adhikar Rashtriya Manch which began on 31st July, 2016 at the CPM office , Machla Magra Udaipur. In an interview Brinda Karat said that the policies of the BJP government are forcibly displacing lakhs of Adivasis from their homeland. It is not displacement from their habitat alone but also from every sphere of their lives including land, forests, language, culture and sources of livelihood. The "Gorakshaks" have become "Deshbhakshaks" and Forest Protection Service has become Forest Eviction Service". People have realized the worth of empty slogans of Modi government and are now not willing to be fooled again. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) will fight against this repressive policy of the central government and the state governments
The three day workshop ended on Tuesday. More than one hundred Adivasi leaders from fourteen states gathered for this workshop. In all five formal sessions were held in which the Forest Rights Act, Right to Information Act, PESA Act etc. were discussed and the leaders were trained to understand ideological issues, issues of youth and women.
Brinda Karat felt that awareness building among Adivasis, developing initiative and widespread organizational work needs to be undertaken. She said that the ruling BJP and its subsidiary organizations talk of nationalism. What they talk about is fake nationalism. The real struggle against the colonial powers was carried on by the Adivasis and their leaders like Birsa Munda. Unfortunately, the history of Adivasis and their role in national struggle for freedom has not been written. Their contribution has never been recorded. Ms. Karat said that there is a need to write the history of the Adivasis.
Talking of the central issues before the Adivasis today, Ms. Brinda Karat said that the central issue is the violent and coercive displacement from every area of their lives including land, forest, livelihood, language and culture. Displacement is all inclusive and though the Adivasis are fighting a defensive battle, soon like the Dalits in Gujarat they will also rise in rebellion all over the country. The crisis has deepened in the regime of Narendra Modi , she added, because under his rule every constitutional and legal protection which they attained after a long struggle, is being diluted and systematically destroyed. Once again the Adivasis are being ousted from the forest lands in the name of new laws made by the state governments flouting the provisions of the Forest Rights Act 2006. The Ministry of Environment, Government of India is hell bent upon de facto subversion of all the provisions of the laws and the constitution that were made to safeguard the interest of the Adivasis. The state has waged a full - fledged political war against the Adivasis in the name of corporate development. Adivasi heroes like Birsa Munda fought the Company Raj and the Adivasis today have to fight against not only the Foreign and Indian Corporate companies but also the Indian state which is playing the role of the agent of these companies in usurping the land and other resources of the Adivasis. The state governments have come with unjust tenancy acts like Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act, Chhota Nagpur Tenancy Act and similar acts promulgated by Gujarat and Rajasthan government which subvert the provisions of Forest Rights Act and PESA Act.
Ms.Brinda Karat said that in the eastern states of Odisha, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh the governments are butchering Adivasis in the name of fighting Maoism. In fact, the Adivasis of these states are caught between the Maoist and state violence. Adivasi youth are being jailed for no reason. On the question of the role of Vanvasi Kalyan Parishad and Vishwa Hindu Parishad in Adivasi areas Brinda Karat said that these organizations are converting Adivasis into Hindus through Brahminical practices. Their one aim is to Hinduise Adivasi communities. Attacking the self styled cow vigilante groups Ms. Brinda Karat said that they are "Goubhakshaks" parading themselves as " Gourakshaks". They are using their state power and subverting the judicial processes and are hitting Dalits and the minorities. She emphatically said that India is not a Hindu Rashtra and those who are trying to make it one, it will backfire on them. She criticized the filing of criminal case against the family of Akhlaque who was murdered by cow vigilante groups in Uttar Pradesh. She said that the family has not yet been able to get over the trauma and the criminal case against them has been filed. This is totally uncalled for.
Ms. Brinda Karat said that the Adivasi Adhikar Rashtriya Manch will organize a number of workshops and training camps to galvanize the cadre and equip them with necessary information and skills to rise up for their rights.
