Kanker (Chhattisgarh): As the Chhattisgarh government is developing the Ram Van Gaman Path, widely believed to be the route taken by Ram, Sita and Lakshman during their 14-year exile, Tribal community people are against the state government’s Ram Van Gaman Path project.
The Tribal people in Bastar are opposing this ambitious plan of the state government. They are alleging that the state government is forcing another culture on them. The Sarv Adivasi Samaj (SAS) has got active in its opposition to this project.
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel led State government is constructing Ram temples at a cost of crores of rupees at 51 places under the Ram Van Gaman Path scheme. The government also celebrated for two years at Chandkhuri, the birthplace of Mata Kaushalya.
For this, a rally was taken out from North to South Chhattisgarh. But this rally of the government did not go down well with the Tribal people. There was a huge protest and an FIR was registered against 60 people involved in the protest. In protest against what the state government is doing, the Sarv Adivasi Samaj (SAS) is gearing up for a ‘Jail Bharo’ movement on December 30.
FIR LODGED AGAINST PROTEST
On December 14, the ‘Rath’ or chariot was started from Korea in the north and Sukma district in the south. This chariot was to pass through the sites of temples built under the Ram Van Gaman Path scheme. The responsibility for the preparations for the welcome had been given to the local administration.
The local administration had made grand preparations. But in the meantime, the angry Tribal people blocked the roads. The Tribal people said that what is being done by the state government is against their customs and traditions. As a result, the chariot could not carry the soil of Bastar as on the very first day, the Tribal people did not allow the soil to be taken from Ramaram.
PROTESTS ALSO TOOK PLACE IN KONDAGAON
After leaving Ramaram, the chariot reached Kondagaon on December 15. The Tribal people also protested here. The Tribal people say that their culture is different and another culture is being imposed on them.
TRIBALS BLOCKED ROAD IN KANKER
The chariot reached Kanker on December 16. The administration was ready but the Tribal people blocked the national highway at 9 am. They took out the entire soil from the chariot, which was taking the soil from place to place.
After much persuasion by the administration, the Tribal people ended the road jam on the condition that the chariot would go straight to its destination, and won’t criss-cross as proposed by the state government. The Ram Van Gaman Path Rath could not pass through the fixed route.
CASE FILED AGAINST 60 PEOPLE
After two days, the tribal people who were protesting by blocking the road, a case has been registered against 60 tribal leaders. Among these people are former BJP MP and leader of Sarv Adivasi Samaj Sohan Potai.
ANGER AGAIN ERUPTED DUE TO FIR
Tribal people have got angry again after a case has been registered against 60 Tribal people for opposing the Ram Van Gaman Path Rath. According to information, on December 30, all tribal society is preparing for a ‘Jail Bharo’ movement. The Gondwana Gantantra Party has already laid siege to the Kanker District Office.
GOVERNMENT IMPOSING PARTICULAR RELIGION: HEMLAL MARKAM
Gondwana Gantantra Party President Hemlal Markam told ETV Bharat that India is a secular country. Bastar is a tribal-dominated area. The custom of Bastar tribes is different. But the Chhattisgarh government is using the entire administrative staff to impose a particular religion on the Tribal peoples, which was opposed by the tribal society.
Markam has accused the government of scaring the Tribal people. He said that till the FIR is not withdrawn against 60 people, the protest against the Ram Van Gaman Path will continue. Markam said that tribal society is not against any religion. The administration does not follow the Constitution. The places of Bastar, which have been made a part of the Ram Van Gaman Path, are the shrines of the Tribal community.
The plan for temple construction is mostly located in Tribal, backward community people dominated areas. The government says that these 51 places are related to Lord Ram, where he visited during his exile of 14 years.
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