Chhattigsarh: Thousands of tribals protest in Kanker’s Pakhanjur against construction of Bechaghat bridge

Thousands of the tribal villagers, gathered in district Kanker’s Pakhanjur, registered strong protest to oppose the proposed construction of Bechaghat bridge. On the 34^th day, they called a Mahapanchyat in the area and decided to create unrest in urban areas of Chhattigsarh, if their demands were not met. It includes full stop on construction of Bechagath bridge and building of Pucca roads in the interior areas of Bastar.

On Monday, tribal Mahapahanchayat decided to initiate their activities by carrying out gherao of local MLA Anup Nag.

South Bastar’s Tribal leader Soni Sori who participated in the Mahapanchayat said, administration is continuously building up wider pucca roads, police camps and bridges in the interior areas of Bastar without taking consent of the local tribals. These activities have aroused a sense of fear among the indigenous tribes that they will be either hunted by police forces in the name of Naxals or they will be implicated in fake cases and sent into jails, she said.

The local tribals complained that speeding up construction activities have interfered and disturbed the peaceful lives. They fear that an increase in police activities in their areas will also increase the cases of atrocities and killings by manifolds. Maoists will frequently target them as police informers.

Tribal activist and Bollywood actor Ramesh Kunjam mentioned in a FB post, the tribals in Bastar have become wedge between Naxals and police. It is the tribals who are bearing the brunt and continuously suffered, looted and exploited by the outsiders. It is high time the plight of tribals must be highlighted on international level, he added.

Local Gajju Padda said, we wanted hospitals, schools and colleges but instead of it, pucca, big roads and bridges were continuously built in this six-schedule area without taking consent. It is a direct violation of our constitutional rights. We are demanding immediate implementation of PESA in our scheduled areas, the tribal leader said.

One local journalist informed, there is feeling in tribals that a conspiracy has been continuously hatched to loot the mineral and natural resources of Bastar. Therefore, tribals are continuously opposing these developmental activities, he added.

However, senior police officials refuted the allegations and said, Naxals are using these tribals as their shields. We are in touch with tribal leaders soon the problem will be sorted out.