Jharkhand: In first cabinet decision, Hemant Soren govt to quash Pathalgadi sedition cases against tribals.

Source – timesnownews.com

Ranchi: Hours after taking oath as the Jharkhand chief minister for a second time, Hemant Soren cabinet decided to withdraw all sedition cases filed against tribals during the Pathalgadi movement. Tribals had carried out a massive protest in Jharkhand over Raghubar Das-led BJP government’s decision to amend Chhota Nagpur Tenancy Act (CNT) and Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act, 1949 in 2018.

Groups linked to the Pathalgadi movement are active across four districts of Jharkhand – Khunti, Gumla, Simdega and West Singhbhum. All these villages come under the Maoist-infested districts.Volume 0% 

Pathalgadis have erected giant plaques declaring their Gram Sabha as the only sovereign authority and have also banned “outsiders”, who they call “Diku” in their native language, from entering the area.

The plaque says that Pathalgadis believe in the Constitution but will follow only their Gram Sabha diktats.

Chhota Nagpur Tenancy (CNT) Act 1908 and Santhal Pargana Tenancy (SPT) Act, 1949, safeguard tribal tenancy rights and in June 2018, the movement erupted in Khunti, 40 km south-east of state capital Ranchi after police thrashed a gathering of Munda villagers over allegations of raiding the house of former Lok Sabha deputy speaker and BJP MP Karia Munda and abducting three security guards.

Khunti is historically linked to the Birsa movement led by tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda.

The entire Opposition, especially the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), had protested against the amendments.

Soren’s oath-taking ceremony was attended by a galaxy of opposition leaders and members from the regional parties and the 44-year-old tribal leader was sworn in as the 11th chief minister of the state by Governor Droupadi Murmu.

Other decision taken in the Cabinet meeting chaired by Soren and attended by three of his ministers included clearing arrears of para-teachers, contractual employees, Anganwadi workers and student scholarships. Apart from these new directives, orders were also issued to fill-up vacancies in government departments.