Ranchi: What do elections mean to a tribal living in the remotest Red zone of Jharkhand and why they oppose development works initiated by governments? We tried to investigate by deep diving into the forests of Torpa, where one is alive only at the mercy of Maoists. Here, everyone is stricken by suspicion and fear.
We visited Marcha Bhalutola, a village of 75 families in Torpa a day after Birsa Munda's birth anniversary. This village is a hot spot of naxal activity in the deep forests vulnerable and volatile. No government official or outsider can visit this village without the permission of Gram Sabha it is written on a board right on a bend on the main road. Naxal fear reins in this village.
When we entered the village, everything appeared normal. Children were playing hockey, men and women working in the rice fields and looking after their animals from dawn to dusk, it's the same routine everyday. Dusk to dawn, staying indoors is the rule. They are a breed of never complaining, cheerful people; but try to grab their resources and they will pierce you with arrows. Jal, jungle, zameen (water, forests and land) are their gods. They are aadivasis, the indigenous tribes of Jharkhand who believe in self-rule.
Tribal women and children are an integral part of a hitherto-male-dominated Gram Sabha in rural Jharkhand. At every level of decision making, consent of kids and women is a must.
But youths were conspicuously missing from the gram sabhaand a local explained why, "Many of them here work for PLFI that pays a monthly salary and provide guns."
Development
"We don't need government money for development. Nature has given us in plenty and we believe in optimum utilization of resources, not business," said Rejan Topno, head of Amma Panchayat Samiti in Marcha Bhalutola of Torpa. "We never complain of government neglect, we want rights over our resources," he emphatically added.
"To extract iron ore, the government is facilitating Tatas, Mittals and Jindals. The environment is not suitable for big industries. The companies can't lure us with hefty compensation amount. No one is so wealthy to ensure cultural and social rehabilitation. They want business, but we want survival in harmony with the nature," said 48-year-old Turtan Topno, who has received Naxal threats for his "progressive" efforts.
Pointing out at a tree under which the gram sabha was being held, an elderly waman said, "The tree produces tamarind worth over Rs 5,000/year. We have thousands of such trees. In every season we have a different variety of fruits and crops. We have pigs, bulls, cows, hens and ducks. Livestock a family possesses are worth over Rs 5 lakh each. If the government is so keen on industrialization, it should set up food processing units, forest-based and agro-based industries."
The government also wants them to join the banking system that "don't require at all". The 'mahila mandal' of this village collects money for the society. Ten women from the mandal donates Rs 10 each every week. This amount is utilized by the community by giving loans to the needy at a very low interest. This is an initiative of the community to get rid of mahajani system. "Embracing banking system to avoid mahajans will do no good," they said.
Elections
"Democracies hold elections, but all elections are not democratic," many in the gram sabha said.
"Candidates never have come to our village. Their agents visit us, and elections are decided by Naxals and their guns. Naxals influence us and we are forced to oblige them, but we can't boycott polls else they will kill us," said panchayat secretary Bardan Tepno.
"We believe in real democracy. We want right to rule ourselves. We want the rule of gram sabhas as state and Central governments work like exploiters," he said.
"We can't press NOTA button. If we do, PLFI agents will come to know and punish us. They are everywhere, from police stations to poll booths," alleged the elderly gram sabha members.
"Elections are fixed and are a big source of Maoists' income. At least a democracy like ours fulfills their monetary needs," an elderly person mocked.
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