The Hindu : Harassed tribals on the warpath

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Apr 27, 2003

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Harassed tribals on the warpath

By Our Special Correspondent

JAIPUR APRIL 26. The Saharia tribals in Baran district of Rajasthan are on the warpath following the death of a woman early this month in a police crackdown. Hundreds of villagers, especially women, are on an indefinite dharna since April 21 in protest against sexual harassment and police atrocities.

The alleged police repression that led to the death of Gulabo of Mundiar village, 10 km from Shahbad block, took place on March 19, the Holi day. The Tehsildar, Tara Chand, who allegedly insisted on playing Holi in an inebriated condition with the tribals, had a scuffle with them after misbehaving with their women and hurting some men driving his jeep recklessly.

The situation aggravated as the Tehsildar called the police to the village to teach the tribals a "lesson''. In the police lathi-charge, several tribals including Gulabo, were injured. She reportedly vomited blood and never recovered. She died on April 9.

According to the activists of the Jagrat Mahila Sangathan, which is spearheading the dharna, the local authorities who visited the village after Gulabo's death expressed their "helplessness'' in providing any assistance to Gulab's kin and others hurt in police action other than providing a quintal of wheat for her children.

``The incident is a pointer to the plight of the Saharia tribals. Starvation deaths were reported from the area recently. The Government had then assured help. The story of assurance is the same everywhere,'' said Jean Dreze, Professor of Economics who was there in connection with a "right to work'' campaign.

``The security of the Saharia tribals in their own surroundings seems to be a distant dream even now. Every human right is violated here and stories are legion of the exploitation of the bonded labourers in this region. The Saharias' existence is always challenged. This is one of the factors contributing to their low esteem and mistrust of schemes introduced from outside,'' Prof. Dreze pointed out.

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Harassed tribals on the warpath