The Adilabad district organisers of the ‘Adivasi Asthitva Porata’ public meeting in New Delhi drew flak from about 250 aboriginal people who could not find a seat in the 24-bogie special train which carried over 2,500 of their comrades to New Delhi for the December 9 event from Adilabad Railway Station on Saturday night. Among those who accused the organisers of taking them for a ride were Kumram Sone Rao, grandson of legendary tribal martyr Kumram Bheem.
“I was promised to be taken to Delhi by air but was asked to board this train as there were no seats available in flights. Now, I am told that there is no seat for me and my four associates,” lamented Mr. Rao.
Taken for a ride
The Adivasi Hakkula Porata Samithi, better known as Tudum Debba , and other outfits have organised the public meeting to sensitise the Union government to their grievances right in the national capital. The organisers collected contributions between ₹ 2,000 and ₹ 3,000 per person for organising the journey for Adivasis from across the old undivided Adilabad district.
“I handed over ₹ 4.8 lakh to the organisers, collected from people in different villages none of whom were accommodated in the train. To add salt to injury, the organisers have switched off their mobile phones,” complained an elder from Bazarhatnoor mandal.
Most of those who were left behind — which included the Ghusadi dance troupe — belonged to Bazarhatnoor, Neredigonda and Bheempur mandals. Finally, it was Two Town Circle Inspector P. Srinivas who had to organise an RTC bus around 11 p.m. so that the disappointed and stranded Adivasis could return to their villages.
