TRIBALS ARE THE POOREST COMMUNITY IN INDIA

Lakshmindra Kumar Sarkar says, that the tribals are the poorest community in India.  Taking advantage of the simplicity of tribals different political parties and city bred individual are exploiting them.  This must be stopped.  Long 23 years I had been walking from one village to another, writing books , writing in different magazines and periodicals.

                Coming close with the tribal lifestyle,  society, literature and culture.  Among all, I am trying to bring a radical change in tribal society’s socioeconomic structure.  It pains me to see a few individual and organization, in the name of tribal upliftment, allure tribal girls into flesh trade.  On the other hand, upper caste cultured people are getting applause imitating tribal literature and art.  But tribals remain in the same darkness where they were hundred years ago.

More than fifty years ago ADIBASI MAHASABHA regularly held in session.  Tribals used to accept any decision taken by the MAHASABHA regarding tribal society.  Then a number of tribal intellectuals were present at the session.  Tribal society was then united.  Now different political parties sneck into tribal villages.  The parties have already divides the people in political line.  So forgetting their own development, the tribal people engage in wrangling among themselves.

                Spending all these years in the vast areas of tribal districts of West Bengal like Bankura, Purulia, and Midnapur, Lohardaga, Ranchi, Gumla of Bihar (now Jharkhand) and Jharkhand, Denkanal, Baripada of Orissa.   I have the opportunity to see the endless poverty of destitution of tribal people.  Situation has not been change under 25 years of left front rule.

MR. SARKAR HIGHLIGHTED SOME MAJOR PROBLEMS OF WEST BENGAL TRIBAL COMMUNITIES

These are as follows:

ALPHABET PROBLEM OF SANTAL

In 1979 , the left government recognized the “Olchiki” alphabet as the language of Santal communities.  Late Pandit Raghunath Murmu.  A Santal intellectual discovered they are demanding the inclusion of the language in the 8^th schedule of the constitution.  But Left Front Government has done nothing in this direction.  It seems they wash their hands off after recognizing the Olchiki script for Santal language.

A CORRUPTION FREE PANCHAYAT SYSTEM

Many raises eyebrows how the innocent girls are being killed as “Dan” when most of the Panchayats are controlled by the left front or for the matter C.P.I. (M) that is supposed to believe in the emancipation of woman.  Answer lies in the vote bank politic.  In bear of losing vote Panchayat does not want to take on the powerful Jangurus whose writ still run in the tribal area.  If Panchayats are made corruption free all the vices in tribal society will evaporate within few months.  Mr. Sarkar had a clear perception in this regard.  He thinks Panchayats, instead of working for the socioeconomic upliftment of the tribal community, helps the retrogrative force to have a child, country vote bank politics.

AGRICULTURE

                In most tribal villages, there is no irregation system.  Agriculture entirely depends on rain water.  The whole peasants family some how manage to survive on one present.  In case of doubt, they have to alternative ,but to starve the peasants had set up a cooperative movement.  But this endeavour failed as no political party extended their helping hand for petty political consideration.

DRINKING WATER

Drinking water profile is acute in tribal areas. Woman have to walk at least one and half kilometer to reach the nearest tubewell.  More often than not the tube well breaks down and it needs at least one week to start the repair work.  Indeed it is a classical example of how panchayats work in rural Bengal.

                                                                SMALL AND COTTAGE INDUSTRY

                In 25 years of left front rule, a number of schemes on small and cottage industry has been declared with much fanfare.  But adequate steps were not taken to implement the schemes in tribal areas.  Had the schemes implemented properly thousands of tribal girls and boys would have been benefited.   Actually tribals were not at all aware of the schemes.  Most of the cases Panchayat members pocket the money allotted for the schemes and produce folk papers to the Panchayat department.

                Lakshmindra Kumar Sarkar builds up a number of voluntary organization centering Khatra subdivision of Bankura District.

Among them:

1.        Khatra Adibasi Culture and Development Centre (KACDC) (Details activities another reports).

2.       Rural Adibasi Mohila Samiti (RAMS) (A mohila unit of Khatra ACDC .  See details in KACDC’s reports).

3.       Human Resource Research Bureau (HRRB) – A research unit of Khatra ACDC.  See KACDC reports.

4.       R.B. Sarkar Prakashani – a leading publishing concerned, details in L.K. Sarkar’s activities.

5.       Rarh Bangla Sambad – A rural newspaper (called Bankura’s Anandabazar).

6.       Manimela – A children organization (see details in KACDC’s reports).

7.       Sahitya – Sanskrity Basar – A literary unit (see details in L.K. Sarkar’s activities).

8.       Late Kabi Sarda Prasad Kisku Smriti pathagar o Gabeshana Kendra (See details in KACDC’s report).

9.       Adibasi Sambad – A full size 8 pages newspaper for the first time in India, for the tribal and by the tribal in 1993 international year of the indigenous people. (See details in KACDC’s reports).