Ratlam (Madhya Pradesh): Hundreds of people belonging to the tribal community staged a demonstration at the Ratlam collectorate on Monday protesting over the externment of two members of their community. The protesters demanded an immediate revocation of the externment orders and accused the administration of targeting the tribal community unfairly.
They argued that such actions further marginalise and discriminate against already marginalised communities. People who had come from Sailana tehsil staged a sit-in on the ground here and raised slogans against the administration.
Witnessing the increase in commotion, district collector Bhaskar Lakshkar came out of his office and sat on the ground among the protesters and listened to them patiently. He advised them to appeal in the court. After which the demonstration could be ended.
The protesters say that during the assembly elections, two members of their community were wrongly externed of the district by the then collector Narendra Suryavanshi. Both of them have no criminal record. "We have not come here to give a memorandum.
Here we will hold a gram sabha and decide what to do next," they warned. People of the tribal community had come to Ratlam with the banner of 'Neither Lok Sabha nor Assembly, the biggest Gram Sabha'.
'My son talks about society, what is mistake in it?'
During the protest, first the additional collector came to talk to the tribals, but they remained adamant on calling the collector. After this, collector Bhaskar Lakshakar reached there.
The mother of a person who was externed asked the collector, 'What mistake has my son made, he talks about the society, what is the mistake in this?' While explaining to the people, the collector said, 'You can appeal in the court.'
After the protest was over, collector Bhaskar Lakshakar said, 'People had come to express their views regarding the actions taken in the past in Badar district. It has been explained to them that if they are aggrieved by any order in the court process, then the High Court is the right way for them.
'If nothing happens in 7 days, we will take big decision'
Dayaram Korku, who came from Indore to lead the protest, said, "Wilesh Kharadi of Lambi Sadar village of Bajna tehsil and VP Hari of Devli village were externed from the district. Both are social workers.
Our gram sabha has decided that the action of the collector is unconstitutional. Judicial law does not apply in tribal areas." "The people of the society have decided in the gram sabha in front of the collectorate that if nothing happens in seven days, a big decision will be taken. We will not only go to the High Court but also the Supreme Court," he added.
Four cases each against both accused in different police stations
ASP Rakesh Khaka said that four cases each are registered against Wilesh Kharadi and VP Hari in different police stations. These include cases of assault, abuse, and threats. In April 2023, the then collector Narendra Suryavanshi externed them from the district.
