Pathalgadi Movement: Will Tribal Votes Impact Jharkhand Elections?

Tribals raising voice in Pathalgadi.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Video Editor: Mohd Irshad Alam & Abhishek Sharma

“I’m not an anti-national. I love my country as much as other citizens do,” said Sombar Singh Tuti, a Pathalgadi protester.

Tribal people have always raised one concern – that the forest, the land is theirs and it is under them. However, in 2018, they began the Pathalgadi Movement to bolster their voice, resulting in sedition cases being registered against at least ten thousand tribal people.

The Pathalgadi Movement in Jharkhand has put the government and tribals at loggerheads. Are these 10,000 tribal people anti-nationals? The Quint reached Jharkhand’s Khunti to find out. 

Talking to The Quint, one said, “We are talking about our rights. For that we are raising our voice and for this reason my brother was jailed for nine months.”

Kalyan Nag, a social worker associated with the Pathalgadi Movement said,

“Pathalgadi Movement is not related to the Naxal Movement. Separate provision for tribals is in fifth schedule of Constitution. But the government hasn’t accepted that forced us to start this movement.”

Kalyan Nag, Social Worker

Social activist Siraj Dutta said, “Tribals are angry with the change in laws related to land. The rights that the Gram Sabha has been given in the Fifth Schedule have not been implemented.”