Mob gathers near HC to set up Pathalgadi, sent back
Pathalgadi is a practice adopted by tribal villages to declare boundary of their village and gram sabha, as per laws applicable in Fifth Scheduled areas of the Constitution
RANCHI: In what could be termed as a huge security lapse, a frenzied mob of nearly 100 tribal people on Monday assembled near the Jharkhand high court building to raise Pathalgadi, a stone plaque inscribed with tribals’ rights.
However, police had a tough time in persuading and sending them back.
Pathalgadi is a practice adopted by many tribal villages to declare boundary of their village and gram sabha being the only sovereign authority as per laws applicable in Fifth Scheduled areas of the Constitution.
Huge stone plaques, called Pathalgadi in the local dialect, have been put up outside tribal settlements mainly in Khunti district, stating that laws made by the Parliament or state Assembly were not applicable in the marked region, besides disallowing outsiders from entering, wandering, living or settling down in the village.
“These people were mainly tribals, who have come from
Gumla and other adjoining districts. Police intercepted them mid-way and sent them back. They were not allowed to raise any kind of stone plaque,” said Ranchi city superintendent of police (SP) Saurabh.
The incident occurred around 3pm, when Pathalgadi supporters assembled at the high security zone in front of high court’s Gate Number-1 at Doranda’s Ambedkar Chowk in Ranchi.
Holding flags and shouting slogans under banner of Kudukh National Council, the assembled persons wanted to
raise the stone plaque at Ambedkar Chowk.
However, police swung into action and additional forces were sent to the spot to control the situation
“We convinced them not to raise the stone plaque and sent them back. According to their leaders, they came to Ranchi to meet the Governor,” said an official from Doranda police station.
“It’s a serious breach of security. It is surprising as to how the mob reached the gate of high court, which is a high security zone. These people are
throwing an open challenge to the state authority. It’s important that the government nips this movement in the bud,” said Rajiv Kumar, a practising advocate in the high court.
Kudukh National Council’s member Dhanwar Toppo said the fifth scheduled areas of the Constitution were empowered with self governance.
“The administration of these areas will be controlled collectively by tribal people. No other laws are applicable in these regions. We will be meeting the Governor on Tuesday to raise our demands. We would assemble in an even greater number in the state capital to protest if our demands are not meted out,” Toppo said.
Pathalgadi movement gained ground in Jharkhand’s few districts during 2016-17. The then BJP government led by chief minister Raghubar Das, however, initiated police action to quell the separatist movement which led to violent clashes between police and village residents in 2017.
The government booked a number of Pathalgadi leaders with sedition charges and arrested them.