“ KCR baga mantor? ” (where is KCR?) was the question thousands of Adivasis kept asking each other after arriving at the temporary darbar hall at Keslapur on Thursday. They had come from all corners of Adilabad to see the Chief Minister preside over the proceedings of the Girijana Darbar held in connection with the ongoing Nagoba jatara.
“We did not know that his visit had been postponed until we arrived here,” said the crestfallen duo of Kotnak Jangu and Chahkati Jangu, both Gond Adivasis who had come all the way from the remote Indapur in Kerameri mandal. Like thousands of their ilk, the news of cancellation of Mr. Rao’s visit had not reach them in time.
While TV channels had reported Mr. Rao’s no-show on Wednesday evening, the poor Gonds in the interior and far-flung habitatons remained in dark about the development. They were also disadvantaged due to the fact that they started quite early to reach Keslapur in time for the darbar, thereby missing out on the usual sharing of information that newspaper readers do at mandal headquarter villages.
Meanwhile, Tribal Welfare Minister A. Chandulal also cancelled his visit as he was said to be indisposed. The stage at the darbar was presided over by Endowment and Housing Minister A. Indrakaran Reddy and BC Welfare and Forest Minister Jogu Ramanna. Adilabad MP G. Nagesh conducted the proceedings. Others who attended were Government Whip Nallala Odelu, MLAs Rathod Bapur Rao of Boath and A. Rekha Naik of Khanapur, besides MLC Ramulu Naik, Collector M. Jagan Mohan, Nagoba temple committee chairman Mesram Tukaram and Keslapur sarpanch mesram Nagnath. The Ministers assured the tribal people that the government would implement the promise of extending 12 per cent reservations to them, and also of forwarding their grievances to the Chief Minister who would come up with solutions.
While TV channels reported the cancellation of the CM’s attendance at the Nagoba jatara on Wednesday evening, Gonds from the interiors remained in the dark
“We did not know that his visit had been postponed until we arrived here,” said the crestfallen duo of Kotnak Jangu and Chahkati Jangu, both Gond Adivasis who had come all the way from the remote Indapur in Kerameri mandal. Like thousands of their ilk, the news of cancellation of Mr. Rao’s visit had not reach them in time.
While TV channels had reported Mr. Rao’s no-show on Wednesday evening, the poor Gonds in the interior and far-flung habitatons remained in dark about the development. They were also disadvantaged due to the fact that they started quite early to reach Keslapur in time for the darbar, thereby missing out on the usual sharing of information that newspaper readers do at mandal headquarter villages.
Meanwhile, Tribal Welfare Minister A. Chandulal also cancelled his visit as he was said to be indisposed. The stage at the darbar was presided over by Endowment and Housing Minister A. Indrakaran Reddy and BC Welfare and Forest Minister Jogu Ramanna. Adilabad MP G. Nagesh conducted the proceedings. Others who attended were Government Whip Nallala Odelu, MLAs Rathod Bapur Rao of Boath and A. Rekha Naik of Khanapur, besides MLC Ramulu Naik, Collector M. Jagan Mohan, Nagoba temple committee chairman Mesram Tukaram and Keslapur sarpanch mesram Nagnath. The Ministers assured the tribal people that the government would implement the promise of extending 12 per cent reservations to them, and also of forwarding their grievances to the Chief Minister who would come up with solutions.
