Jungle Andolan of Singhbhum, Jharkhand

Jungle Andolan of Singhbhum

Struggle for Survival and Oppression of the Fittest

Khudi Ram Mahto

Census (1871) enumerated 96 communities in Chotanagpur and census (1931) did not list any new community and only 28 communities were enumerated as non-tribes in Chotanagpur and the remaining 68 communities were enumerated as tribes. Census (1941) enumerated 60 communities as tribes. The 68 adivasis of Chotanagpur were categorized in Indian Constitution as Scheduled tribe, Scheduled Caste and Other Backward Class with the intention and the theory of divide and rule the adivasis of Chotanagpur.  The Government of Bihar produced  list of only the 13 tribes to the Government of India to schedule in The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 under article 342 (1) of the constitution of India. Out of 13 tribes 12 tribes were scheduled as Scheduled Tribes and Kudmi tribe was not scheduled as tribe without any official notification. By struggling, the graph of the Scheduled tribes in Jharkhand has reached and consisted of 32 tribes and 8 Primitive Tribe Groups (PTGs).  Unfortunately the demand of rescheduling of the remaining tribes (out of 68 tribes) is now intensively opposed by these 32 tribes in Jharkhand.  The movements of the Jungle Andolan of Singhbhum district and Jharkhand Movement of Chotanapur (map of Chotanagpur Plateau, Census of India, 1901) are the movements of these 68 tribes, The Adivasi term is conceptualized here for these 68 tribes of Chotanagpur Plateau.

Struggle for Land, Forest and Water

The Jungle Andolan of Singhbum district for land, forest and water was the struggle for right over and part of the socio-economic aspects of Jharkhand Movement. The movement was at peak in 1978 and the several police firings include Ichahatu police firing, Serengda police firing, Sarjomhatu police firing and Eligada police firing. This movement survived till 1983 and 18 people were killed. Government of Bihar tried to crush the movement, thousands of adivasis were beaten and cases registered in police stations against thousands of people and put them behind bars.  It was the longer period in the history of Jharkhand Movement after independence of India.

The historical background of the Jharkhand Movement is the natural attachment of people with land, forest and water. They touch the every aspect of people’s life and death, pain and pleasure. The tribes have birth-relation with land, forest and water, the concept of right came much later, this is a conspiracy to break this relation of tribes by broken promises. The innocent tribal by nature are trapped into by so called mainstream civilized communities. The Jharkhandis are   animists and natural beauty of land, forest and water are the centers of their devotion.  When and wherever one has attempted to drive them out from their devotional centres, they have never reconciled. This is their unique system of devotion to the earth, Tribal’s devotional  way of life to the earth may be the subject of lesion and inspiration for the environmentalists and intellectuals who are organizing national and international seminars on environmental issues and for the policy makers of this land.

In August 15, 1978 to September 1978, the Direct Action Programmes were lunched for separate state Jharkhand under the leadership of N.E. Horo, the president of Jharkhand Party. The Direct Action Programme for separate Jharkhand included the submission of memorandum to the every and each Deputy Collector of the district, processions, dharanas, Gheravs and addressing gatherings. Along with these, Jharkhand Movement for separate state struggled for right over land, forest and water. The Direct Action programme survived for a month but Jungle Andolan became intensive and vigorous. Despite of the indifferentness of Jharkhand party on Jungle Andolan, Sailendra Mahto and Late Devendra Maghi led the Movement. Immediately a meeting was held by Sailendra Mahto, Devendra Maghi, Mora Munda, Machua Gagrai, Lalsingh Munda, Ram Rai Ho, Bahadur Oraon, and Sitaram Shastri discussed on the indifferentness of Jharkhand Party on Jungle Andolan and decided that the Jungle Movement would be led with and under the banner of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha. The responsibility was given to Sailendra Mahto to meet with Binod Bihari Mahto, then the president and Shibu Soren then the general secretary of Jharkhand Mukti Morch in Dhanbad.  Rs 20 were given to Sailendra Mahto for fare.  On December 10, 1978 Sailendra went to Jhariya to meet Binod Bihari by Gomo Passenger and reached the working office of Jharkhand Mukti Morch, Hirapur nearby Dhanbad district court.  When Sailendra reached there Binod Bihari engaged in legal discussion with 5-6 advocates and some people. Sailendra introduced himself and discussed about political situation and Jungle Andolan. In the evening Shibu Soren and A.K. Roy also turned up in the office of Binod Bihari Mahto. Sailendra discussed about the direct action of Jharkhand Andolan on land, forest and water and revealed the intention Jharkhand movement in Singhbhum district under the banner of Jharkhand Mukti Morch. Sailendra Mahto invited these three leaders to Chakradharpur on September 25, 1978, and to address a gathering to constitute a unit of Jharkhand Mukti Morch in Singhbhum. The central leaders of Jharkhand Mukti Morch respected and accepted the invitation.

The Singhbum unit of Jharkhand Mukti Morch was constituted under the presence of Binod Bihari Mahto, the president and Shibu Soren, the general secretary of Jharkhand Mukti Morch  after addressing the huge gathering at ground of Railway in Chakradharpur in September 25, 1978.  On this occasion A.K. Roy, Member of Parliament, N.E. Horo was invited and the Jungle Andolan merged into Jharkhand Mukti Morcha. First time police firing on November 6, 1978 to crush Jungle Andolan by the Government of Bihar in the Ichaahatu village of Goilkera Block, the second firing on November 25,  1978 in Serengda weekly market, Goilkera Block. After these police firings, the leaders like Bhubneshawar Mahto, Sula Purty, Sukhdeo Hembram and several local leaders joined Jungle Andolan. The Gua police firing on December 8, 1980 was the third firing and police firing followed by Kashijowa, Baipi, Tonto,Kuira, Kumbiya, Jojohatu, Sarjomhatu, Eligada Tiruldih firings to crush Jungle Andolan at the gun point. The Jungle Andolan survived till 1978 to 1983 and 18 people of Jungle Andolan were killed, hundreds people got injured, nearly 15 thousands cases were lodged against agitators and nearly two thousand out of them were put behind the bars in Chaibasa and Hajaribag Jails.

After 27 years Forest Rights Bill passed in December 15, 2006 in Lok Sabha during the office of UPA, headed by Dr. Manmohan Singh. It was the result of Jungle Andolan in Singhbhum and other tribal movements across the tribal belts in India. It is a brooding question that what these agitators of Jungle Andolan and Jharkhand Movement what gained out of ‘The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006   and separate Jharkhand state?

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