Burhanpur, March 2023: Two Adivasi activists associated with the Jagrit Adivasi Dalit Sangathan (JADS) claim that they were threatened with arrest during police questioning following the arrest of 35 other Adivasi activists after a face-off with the Forest Department in Madhya Pradesh’s Burhanpur region. The two have been also called for questioning today.

The region has seen a history of violence against Adivasi communities by the notorious Forest Department. The Forest Department periodically attempts to illegally “evict” Adivasis of Pachayat Baldi from their land by using force, sometimes employing violence and intimidation tactics such as illegal detention, physical assault, and even money extortion. This is a violation of section 4 (5) of the Forest Rights Act which does not recognize eviction at all. These section of the emancipator law states that forest dwelling person from a Scheduled Tribe or other traditional communities should not evicted or removed from the forest land they occupy until the recognition and verification procedure is complete.

In a statement released by JADS recently, they detail the following: JADS activists received a call from the locals of Baldi Panchayat on February 2, 2023 informing them about the illegal arrest of four people – two men and two women. They were picked up from their homes and taken to an unknown location with no information given to their families, a violation of settled law and jurisprudence. At this stage when this happened, JADS activists immediately contacted the DFO (District forest officer) and District Collector, Burhanpur, asking them to intervene in the matter and ensure that due process of law was followed. Anxiously looking for those who were picked up, other villagers went to the Range Office in Burhanpur and heard shouts and screams and other sounds of torture from the office building. Thereafter there was a reported clash between villagers and the forest staff after this. It was after this ‘confrontation’ that around 20 men and 15 women were arrested by the police while they were on their way back to their village.

The very next next day, Antaram Awase, a young Advisadi activist, and Nitin, a graduate from TISS, went to meet the DFO, SP and District Collector, to find out what had happened. Instead, they found themselves implicated in the conflict for merely speaking to the arrested villagers on the phone. The two were in fact not in Burhanpur at the time. They have called the two for questioning on March 9, yesterday.

These two activists, both Antaram and Nitin have been working with JADS for over five years and are at the forefront of the campaign to spread awareness about legal Forest Rights. JADS, currently active with tribals across four districts in MP – Barwani, Khargone, Khandwa and Burhanpur – is a community led organisation and plays an important role in highlighting illegal fellings of trees on Adivasi land and underhanded attempts to suppress their forest rights. The attempt to implicate the two JADS activists can only be read as an attempt to suppress this campaign.

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Social media has been flooded with videos of Adivasis dancing and celebrating their win over corrupt forest officials. Burhanpur Adivasis had been protesting outside the SDM office in Nepanagar against the harsh and illegal Forest Conservation Rules, 2022 and the long standing non-implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) in the district. The protestors have occupied the Nepanagar Tehsil Office, in Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh.

A group of approximately 4,000 tribals had been staging a protest outside the Burhanpur collector office since January 24. Through this protest, the adivasis were expressing their outrage against the inadequate implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006 and the day-to-day interference of Forest Department personnel on their farmlands. On January 24, thousands of Adivasis demanded that the district administration immediately begin implementing the FRA, threatening to initiate a continuous protest until the process of their claims was completed.

For more than two days, Adivasis demanded that their forest rights claims be verified through the Gram Sabha, that wrongfully processed claims be returned, and that the MP Vanmitra portal be reopened for those who were illegally denied the opportunity to register their claims due to the closure of the MP Vanmitra portal. Additionally, the Adivasis had alleged everyday harassment by forest cops and the involvement of forest officials in the illegal felling of trees to mint money.

Adivasis were especially adamant about FRA compliance, realizing that FRA implementation is being deliberately slowed to facilitate forest diversion with the new revisions in the Forest Conservation Rules, 2022. The new Forest Conservation Rules allow for the transfer of land to projects before the verification of claims is concluded, which violates the Gram Sabha’s rights. Adivasis are obvious that the state is dragging on forest rights in order to facilitate forest diversion.

Aside from the execution of the Forest Rights Act, protesters in the tribal-populated Nepanagar town in Burhanpur district sought decent schools, electricity, jobs, and a mandi. Tribals have claimed to be forced to travel to Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and other states in quest of work. Families with children stated that they were becoming bonded laborers in the sugarcane fields by taking a “advance” of only Rs. 15,000 – Rs 20,000 for three months, and they are also subjected to sexual exploitation.

After a long continuous protest staged by the resolute Advisis, they can be seen welcoming the hard-earned victory midst songs and slogans. The triumphant Adivasis of Jagrit Adivasi Dalit Sangathanhave now ended the protest.

The video can be viewed here:

VICTORY FOR ADIVASIS OF BURHANPUR AS OCCUPATION OF NEPANAGAR SDM OFFICE BY OVER A THOUSAND ADIVASIS ENDS; RESOLUTE ADIVASIS RETURN WITH ALL DEMANDS FULFILLED, KICK-START VERIFICATION OF CLAIMS FOR ENTIRE DISTRICT pic.twitter.com/3sxfoTPiCQ

— Jagrit Adivasi Dalit Sangathan (@JADS_mp) February 9, 2023

Details of the protest staged

Following their arrival at the collectorate, the irate tribals sought to meet with District Collector Bhavya Mittal in order to hand over a memorandum and lay out their demands. The collector, however, refused, sending her subordinate SDM Deepak Chouhan and Lakhan Aggrawal, joint-secretary, Burhanpur Tribal Affairs Department, to meet with the protesters.

The outraged tribal protestors confronted SDM with probing questions concerning the Forest Rights Act and its violations, to which he failed to respond. In a video, a protester can be heard saying: “The officers do not know the laws, cannot enforce them, and have the audacity to take action against wrongdoers. We can handle the administration if they leave the chair.”

The demonstrators also claimed in front of the officials that forest officials and police officers frequently asked for money from tribal farmers whose land applications are pending and who live near the forest.

Protesters said that people who refused to pay forest officials were labeled as “outsiders” or “encroachers,” and that their ready-to-harvest crops or even homes were mowed down by JCBs. “They demand money from farmers for running tractors and threshing machines in their fields under the guise of enforcing forest restrictions. They also make money by selling forest produce and expensive woods “claimed AntramAwase, a JADS-affiliated tribal activist.

Previous instances of abusefaced by the Adivasis of Burhanpur

On July 9, 2019, Adivasis of Gram Panchayat Siwal situated in Burhanpurwere fired upon with pellets by the Forest Department as they attempted to protect their sown crops from being destroyed by forest officials, revenue officials and the police. When the villagers protested, they were fired with pellet guns, leaving four injured.

Following the brazen denial of tribal rights by the forest administration and the state machinery, the Adivasis of Burhanpur had gathered at the Burhanpur collectorate to register a strong protest against the Forest Department’s illegal firing and its constant violations of the Forest Rights Act and government orders. The Adivasis occupied the collectorate square and eyewitnesses recounted with anger the event of forest department Ranger Rajesh Randhawe shooting at Adivasis. 

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Bhopal: Upset with the poor implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006 and the day-to-day intervention of the Forest Department officials on their farmlands, a group of over 4,000 tribals picketed Burhanpur collector office on January 24.

Under the banner of the Jagrit Adivasi Dalit Sangathan (JADS) – an outfit that works for the marginalised in the Nimar division of the state – over 4,000 tribals carried out a long march between the District Hospital and the collector’s office.

24.01.23 बुरहानपुर ज्ञापन.pdf (510.51 KB)

They alleged everyday harassment by forest cops and the involvement of forest officials in the illegal felling of trees to mint money.

They also demanded proper implementation of the Forest Rights Act, better education infrastructure and electricity in their villages – which is missing even as the country celebrated its 74th Republic Day with glam and glitz.

After reaching the collectorate, the agitating tribals demanded to meet the District Collector Bhavya Mittal in a bid to hand over a memorandum and put forth their demands. But it was turned down by the collector who sent her subordinate SDM Deepak Chouhan and Lakhan Aggrawal, joint-secretary, Burhanpur Tribal Affairs Department, to meet the protesters.

The enraged tribal protestors asked pointed questions to SDM about the Forest Rights Act and its violation which he failed to reply to. A protester could be seen saying in a video: “The officers neither know the laws nor can implement them and have the audacity to take action against the wrongdoers. If they leave the chair, we can run the administration.”

In front of the officials, they alleged that the forest officials and cops often demand money from tribal farmers whose land applications are pending and who live close to the forest.

Protesters said that those who refuse to pay forest officials were termed ‘outsiders’ or ‘encroachers’ and their ready-to-harvest crops or even homes were mowed down with JCBs. “Under the garb of implementing forest laws, they demand money from the farmers for running tractors and thresher machines in their fields. They are also minting money by selling forest produce and costly woods,” alleged Antram Awase, a tribal protester associated with JADS.

According to Madhya Pradesh Tribal Area Development Planning (TADP), 1.98 lakh claims of tribals have been taken into consideration to review through Van Mitra App by October 17, 2022. Of these, only 34, 932 applications got approval while 1.09 lakh applications were rejected again. Remaining, 53, 517 applications are still pending, the officials said.

“The process to verify the documents and holding Gram Sabhas got delayed owing to the COVID-19 lockdown. We are trying to put things on track,” said an officer.

According to the agitators, the verification process of their land rights under the Forest Rights Act is pending even after 15 years. In some places, land rights applications were rejected without holding Gram Sabhas or without Sabha’s consent – which is a mandatory clause.

The agitators also opposed the New Forest Conservation Rules, 2022 which enable handing over of the forest land to the companies without the consent of Gram Sabha.

Apart from the implementation of the Forest Rights Act, the protesters demanded proper schools, electricity, jobs and a mandi in the tribal-populated Nepanagar town of Burhanpur district. Tribals are travelling to Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and other states in search of wages, they said. Families along with their children are becoming bonded labourers in the sugarcane fields by taking an “advance” of only Rs. 15,000 – Rs 20,000 for three months and also facing sexual exploitation. 

“The government, which spends over Rs 100 crores on two days of an NRI meet to entertain foreign guests in Indore, has no money to spend on tribals’ education, health services, adequate electricity and village development. This point is repeatedly highlighted by tribals,” said Madhuri, one of the key leaders of the outfit. 

In the end, the protesters handed over a memorandum addressing the chief minister, appealing to him to stop illegal felling, implement Forest Rights Act, and provide education and electricity in tribal areas.

Courtesy: Newsclick

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In this video, a Hindu group in Burhanpur is in process of laying foundation of a new temple conveniently adjacent to the Bohra mausoleum complex, though the land is part of Bohra administrated area. There are accusations that the present, Syedna Mufaddal has bought friendship with Madhya Pradesh chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and BJP ruling party through large financial contributions to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Even the predecessor, Syedna Burhanuddin, in his quest of getting government recognition and new titles, had reportedly made significant donations to BJP, RSS, VHP and other parties. Leaders such as him have repeatedly tried to project the Bohra Mussalman, as different from Muslim masses. For leaders like Baba Ramdev (and even PM Modi) the Bohras are the “Achhe Musalman” (Good Muslim). This currying of favour  did not work with the mobs of the far right however: neither in the Bombay 1992-1993 violence were Bohris spared nor did they ‘escape’ the marauding hate-mobs in Gujarat 2002.  Mobs have different agendas.
 
For this political, hate driven Hindutva mob, he who walks like a duck and talks like a duck, is a duck. Those who wear cap, keep beard, wear burqa/Hijab, eat meat are Muslims. In a Hindu or a Jain building, Bohras do have hard time renting or owning apartments in many Indian cities.

Is it not about time that Bohras should tell their leaders they should not become pawn in game of divide and rule plans of any Government?
 
According to latest news from Burhanpur, the MP High Court has issued a stay order on building of temple. However, when has a stay stopped the majoritarian design? If Bohras are not careful, this issue, like the Babri Masjid -Ram Bhumi, that is now entangled court, will haunt Bohras for decades. Political Hindutvawaadis will not allow Bohras to build there anything; the place will become a no man’s land.
 
Mr. Pravin Togadia of RSS, once advised his followers that if they want any property belonging to Muslims, they should just go and put some board like Shiv Sena, Mandir etc. As soon as such illegal intrusions are ‘converted into disputed properties’, the case will get bogged down in court and the lawyers appearing for the Mob will successfully prolong it for years. The owner will get tired out. He or she will come a begging and settle with the encroachers at a giveaway price. This is the tactics of even the Zionist extremist on Palestinian properties.
 
The funny thing about this video is that though, at every Bohra gathering and in every Bohra protest, Bohras raise slogans of “Mola Mufaddal Zindabad” , in this public protest, against the encroachment of their land, Syedna Mufaddal’s name or word “Mola” is not uttered at all. Instead, Bohras are heard raising slogans like Nara -e-Takbeer and Nara-e-Haidari.
 
It doesn’t require rocket science to deduce why they are submerging their Bohra identity into a Muslim one!

Disclaimer: The views expressed herein are those of the author. Sabrangindia has received the details and the Video from him and is publishing this without indepedent verification.

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