Speeches mark Bheem martyrdom anniversary

Tribals not given opportunity to pour out their woes

Official ceremony: Forest Minister Jogu Ramanna paying homage to Raj Gond martyr Kumram Bheem at Jodeghat in Kumram Bheem Asifabad district on Friday.

Adivasi activists and elders belonging to the Rai Centres or advisory councils who wanted to raise their voice against the continuing injustice to aboriginal people at official programme to mark the 77th anniversary of martyrdom of Raj Gond leader Kumram Bheem were left high and dry as they were not invited to speak.

“The ones who spoke ended up praising the government for constructing a memorial and museum for the martyr and widening the 22 km stretch of road between Jodeghat and Hatti,” said a sarcastic Pendur Venkat, a youth who had come from distant Talamadugu mandal to pay homage to the martyr.

Kolam martyr

An event which went unnoticed by and large was the homage paid to Kumra Suru, a Kolam tribe associate of Bheem, near the road leading to Bheem’s memorial complex. A small group of Kolam tribals performed the traditional puja as part of homage.

Forest Minister Jogu Ramanna was the chief guest at the official programme while Adilabad MP G. Nagesh, KB Asifabad MLA Kova Laxmi, Sirpur MLA Koneru Konappa and Boath MLA Rathod Bapu Rao also spoke. They listed out the government welfare programmes aimed at the poor in the State. They said the government was inclined to develop all segments of society.

Traditional ritual

The leaders and officials — KB Asifabad Collector M. Champalal, Mancherial Collector R.V. Karnan, who is also Project Officer of Utnoor Integrated Tribal Development Agency, and others also paid homage to the martyr.

Thousands of Raj Gond people also paid homage while the family of Bheem performed the ceremony associated with paying homage to the departed souls.

The ethnic people enjoyed a play on the life and times of Bheem which was staged in the auditorium. The visiting tribals also visited the museum and a photo exhibition.