Madikeri: The planned march from Diddalli to Bengaluru by displaced tribals to press for the implementation of their demands ended abruptly on April 7,with the chief minister’s assurance on holding a meeting with them in Bengaluru on April 11.

Around 500 people had begun the march to the capital by foot in the morning to press for their demands after efforts by the district administration and the solution offered by District In-charge Minister M R Seetharam failed to appease the evicted tribal community.

Progressive thinkers Gowri Lankesh and Jignesh Mewani had flagged off the march in the morning. Tribal protestors covered 12 km distance enroute to Periyapatna and touched Muttur village in Mysuru district, bordering Kodagu.

In a sudden development, Virajpet Tahsildar arrived at Muttur village to address the protestors. He told that the gathering that the chief minister had convened a special meeting on April 11 with all the stakeholders in the third floor conference hall of Vidhana Soudha.

Advocate A K Subbiah , who arrived at the spot assured his support to the gathering and the presence of Gowri Lankesh, freedom fighter Dorewswamy Iyengar and others at the meeting with the CM. He told the gathering that all efforts to uphold the social values and concerns of the evicted tribals would be addressed in the meeting in which certain ministers were likely to take part. The agitation is alive but at the same time the chief minister’s gesture has to be respected in order to find a suitable solution, he noted.

The convinced tribals from Diddalli called off the march immediately.

The Diddalli tribals are up in arms against the district administration after the forest department evicted them in an operation. They have been agitating for long seeking land and shelter in Diddalli itself and have refused the district administration’s offer to provide sites at different locations. There are reports of some outside elements infiltrating into the tribal community to gain instant benefits. This apart certain organisations are divided over support to tribals over the issue.

In this context , the meeting with the chief minister gains importance. Some are of the opinion that the prudent move to hold a meeting by the chief minister is primarily to avoid political backlash by tribals against the ruling regime in the ensuing by-polls of Nanjanagud and Gundlupet , where their presence is sizable.