Madikeri: The decision of the district administration to impose prohibitory orders in the region in wake of Diddalli tribal protests has irked the tribals and their supporters.
Asserting that Section 144 has been imposed to suppress the tribal protests scheduled to be held on Dec 23, Bhoomi Mathu Vasathi Hakku Vanchithara Horata Samiti and various other organisations have demanded withdrawal of the prohibitory orders so as to make way for a struggle for justice within legal framework.
Large number of people assembled outside Deputy Commissioner’s office on Thursdayand shouted out slogans against the district administration and state government.
Addressing the protesters, former MLC A K Subbaiah said that the move of the district administration of imposing prohibitory orders is unacceptable. “The Deputy Commissioner seems to be acting at the behest of the BJP and the Sangha Parivar and he seems to be working against the government,” said Subbaiah adding that in a democracy everyone has the right to fight against injustice.
“The people protesting in Diddalli are not Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals. They are our very own people who have lost their land,” said Subbaiah adding that BJP state President B S Yeddyurappa and MP Prathap Simha had come to meet the helpless tribals in Diddalli and also expressed solidarity. But, the same MP and a local BJP MLA have told in a review meeting that Maoists are all set to hijack the Diddalli protests, thereby fueling confusion.
However, Subbaiah justified and vindicated the Maoist movement by saying that the Maoists are those people who have torched their own lives to brighten the lives of the oppressed people. At the same time, he also said that he would not support the Maoists in their armed protests.
He said that in Diddali, the struggle for justice is now being portrayed as ‘naxalite movement’, which is condemnable.
Kannada Cine star Chethan released the five demands of the movement, which will be handed over to the government on December 23 during the ‘Madikeri Chalo’ protest.
The demands include permission to build houses in the same land where the tribals have been living so far, temporary sheds with all basic facilities must be provided till rights are given over the land, suspension of and judicial inquiry on the DC and the District Social Welfare Officer on charges of dereliction of duty, holding them directly responsible for the Dec 7 episode where the huts and settlements of the tribals were pulled down, land to all the oppressed classes in Kodagu under Forest Rights Act among others.
Committee leaders Sirimane Nagaraju, CPIM Leader S Y Gurushanth, P R Bharath among others were present.
Maosists are fueling trouble
Meanwhile, Small Growers’ Federation Leader Cheranda Nanda Subbaiah has said that it is true that Maoists are trying to hijack the Diddalli tribal protests by using tribal leaders like J K Appaji and J K Muthamma.
Nanda Subbaiah said that there are rumours that the two leaders had collected money from locals and handed it over to Moaist outfits and messages pertaining to the same are making rounds on social networking platforms. Similarly virtual media is being used to garner monetary support for Diddalli protests and bank account of a particular person in Sagar has been mentioned in the whatsapp messages.
“There is no doubt that Maoists have a role to play in the Diddalli protests,” Nanda Subbaiah said.
Cops should nab the Maosits:SDPI
Countering the arguments of a section that Maoists are playing behind Diddalli episode, Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) has challenged the police to nab the Maoists who are responsible for the on going struggle.
Opining that the Maoist angle has been brought in by the local BJP MLA and MP to hush up their own failures, SDPI State General Secretary Abdul Majeed said that the local MLA who had represented the area at least three to four times, has never tables issues pertaining to the tribals in the Assembly so far. He challenged the MP to put out in open his own contributions for the welfare of the tribals.
“If the tribals protesting for their rights are naxalites, then it is the government which has created these naxalites,” said Majeed adding that the prohibitory order can never fizz out the protest.
