M F AHMAD
Daltonganj, Aug 29: A group of tribals of Chechari Pargana on Sunday staged a demonstration outside the official residence of the sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Mahuadanr Rajesh Kujur in Latehar district against the uprooting of the notice boards which they claim to be within the ambit of the Indian constitution.
On Saturday, the civil and police administrations had uprooted 2 such notice boards purported to be of the Chechari Pargana Mahuadanr prohibiting outsiders not to reside, trade, undertake occupation etc in the land stated to be in the 5th schedule.
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Sources said the administration had found the content of the notice board objectionable and enough to cause ferment between the communities here.
The Sunday demonstration was for the administration to explain how and why it dislodged the notice boards from the public view. They wanted it to be restored at places where it was prior to its uprooting.
One among them even tried to lock the main gate of the compound of the SDPO Mahuadanr Rajesh Kujur. There were a couple of girls in the gathering who too raised their voices of protest.
According to SDPO Rajesh Kujur, the notice boards were seized and kept in the police station Mahuadanr.
Speaking to lagatar24.com last night, he said these people refuse to listen to reasoning. “We all tried to convince them that no one is at any liberty to interpret the constitution and its provisions in one’s own way. I asked them to bring in the exact content of the relevant part of the provision concerning them in the constitution and then everyone will see no problem comes to anyone,” he added.
A few months ago, Tana Bhagats had laid a siege to the Latehar Collectorate for a couple of days demanding a similar right to enforce their 5th schedule in its own way wherein the administration played cool otherwise the situation could have gotten worse.
“At Mahuadanr, The situation was handled with care and caution,” reminded the SDPO. He said local police have made a station diary entry called Senha of the Sunday demonstration.
SDPO Kujur further hinted at the police initiating proceedings under section 107 CrPC in which the sub-divisional magistrate Mahuadanr on reports of the local police can bound agitators with section 107. Following this, notices will be issued to the agitators to present their version either by themselves or through the lawyers.
Sources said this anger of the tribals is not going to subside any soon and is most likely to gain momentum. The weekly haat is going to be influenced by the people who are spearheading the stir.
SDPO Kujur said police have similar information about Ranchi steering such a wheel of protest in the name of the vested interpretation of the provisions enshrined in the Indian constitution.
