TRIBALS – 2007 - Indian Social Institute

old Ramesh Vasunia, a resident of Jhapda village, was returning home with his family memberswhen his bike was stopped by two constables, who were accompanied by VHP leader KamleshJain, at Piplipada Road. Vasunia’s explanation that he was returning home after purchasing somematerial for his farm did not cut ice with Jain and the constables, and an altercation ensued.Vasunia’s family members, who were present at the spot, said Vasunia was dragged away andshot following the exchange of words. Jhabua SP Umesh Joga told The Indian Express onTuesday that Jain and other VHP activists had insisted on the policemen accompanying them tofollow up a lead about cow slaughter. The constables initially refused saying there was no staff toman the chowky but gave in when the VHP men warned that they would complain to senior policeofficials that the police were hand in glove with those involved in cow slaughter. Joga confirmedthat neither cows nor beef was found in the area. Immediately after the shooting, the VHP leadersfled from the spot leaving the policemen to defend themselves in front of angry tribals who soongathered in large numbers. The situation took a turn for the worse when the tribals insisted thatthey would cremate the body inside the police chowky in keeping with a local custom. A murdervictim is cremated in the hut of the person accused of killing him. The tribals accused the police ofmurder in cold blood and demanded that the two constables be punished immediately. DistrictCollector Rajkumar Pathak said the administration had a tough time convincing the angry tribalsto hold the cremation elsewhere. He said a magisterial inquiry had been ordered and the culpritswould be penalised after the inquiry committee submitted its report. Joga claimed that the victimhad a criminal record and four cases had been registered against him. Jhabua Congress chiefKalavati Bhuria alleged that Vasunia was shot dead because VHP leaders instigated thepolicemen to do so. “Where are the cows and where is the beef?” she asked, demanding thatJain, who is absconding, be arrested immediately. Bhuria said the police had failed to register anFIR even 24 hours after the incident. She added that the police forced the victim’s family to agreefor a hasty post mortem in order to suppress facts. (Indian Express 4/7/07)Tribal groups caught in armed conflicts (6)NEW DELHI: More and more indigenous groups and tribal peoples in mainland India are findingthemselves caught in armed conflicts between Maoists and various State governments since2004 following the formation of the Communist Party of India (Maoist). A report on the ‘State ofIndia’s Indigenous and Tribal Peoples 2007,’ brought out by the Asian Indigenous and TribalPeople’s Network — an alliance of indigenous and tribal people organisations that seeks topromote and protect these groups — has pointed out that while the adivasis or the indigenousgroups do not share the dreams of the Maoists of establishing a proletariat state in India, thenaxalites speak the language to which the indigenous peoples’ plight can be related to. “Thenaxalite movement is neither an adivasi movement nor is it led by them, but the indigenousgroups do form the majority of the cadres of the naxalites,” the report points out while adding thatsince June 2006, the Chhattisgarh Government has directly involved the adivasi civilians in theconflict with the Naxalites through the anti-naxalite Salwa Judum — the so-called peacecampaign. At present, 21 of the 28 States are affected by armed conflicts. Apart from Jammu andKashmir, the seven northeastern States are facing armed conflict over the demand for autonomyand 13 other States, including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka,Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand andWest Bengal, are witnessing the naxalite ideological war, according to the report. With theexception of Jammu and Kashmir, conflicts in all other States or areas involve indigenous people.(The Hindu 8/7/07)Tribal’s death: Cops seek to blame victim (6)BHOPAL I JULY 7: In a travesty of justice, the police are busy looking for the criminal records of atribal who was shot dead in Jhabua after being accused of suppressing information about anincident of cow slaughter, which never took place. Ramesh Basunia, 30, was shot dead inPiplipada village on July 2 when he was on his way home in Zayda village. Four days after theincident, the police have registered only a case under Section 304 of culpable homicide againstan unknown police constable. Jhabua SP Umesh Joga said the police had followed guidelinesissued by NHRC by recording the post mortem and by instituting an inquiry by a senior officerfrom another district. Trouble began when VHP activists led by Kamlesh Jain forced constables