Govt allows tribals to pay tributes to martyrs

Govt allows tribals to pay tributes to martyrs
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Highlights

To mark the completion of 35 years of Indervelli struggle, which is described as the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of Telangana, the Adilabad Girijan Rythu Cooli Sangham has decided to organise a public meeting in Indervelli on April 20. It aims to focus attention of the State government to solve the problems of Girijans and to secure for them the right to enjoy water and forest produce.

Indervelli massacre

Adilabad: To mark the completion of 35 years of Indervelli struggle, which is described as the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of Telangana, the Adilabad Girijan Rythu Cooli Sangham has decided to organise a public meeting in Indervelli on April 20. It aims to focus attention of the State government to solve the problems of Girijans and to secure for them the right to enjoy water and forest produce.

Girijans or Adivasis dominate Adilabad district as they are spread over 39 mandals, including Indervelli, Utnoor, Jainoor, and Narnoor. Their main avocation is podu cultivation and selling of forest produce. They do not get remunerative price for their produce. They have not been given the land pattas. Besides, they are subjected to harassment by moneylenders, whose loans the tribals have never been able to repay. Hence the Girijans want rights over water and the forest produce.

A file photo of Martyrs’ Memorial in Indervelli village in Adilabad district

It may be recalled that on April 20, 1981, Girijans had made a beeline to the venue of the meeting at Indervelli by all modes of transport. Some reached a week in advance, while many took up ‘padayatra’. Among those present were Balladeer Gaddar and revolutionary writer Varavara Rao.

The administration imposed many restrictions, including Section 144, and arrests were made en route. Yet Girijans were not deterred. Thousands attended the meeting. The police, claiming that the gathering was not permitted, tried to stop it and it led to a row with a woman. The police attacked the tribal people who retaliated.

Many Adivasis were killed in the police firing. Records show 13 fatalities. However, an inquiry by several people’s organisations concluded that 63 tribal people had perished in the firing. Many families were wiped out, some lost their limbs. In the past the State government had denied permission to pay tributes to the firing victims. However, this time the TRS administration allowed Girijans to pay tributes to the Indervelli martyrs.

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