On April 20, nine days after polling for Adilabad (ST) Lok Sabha constituency was held, Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Soyam Bapu Rao handed over ₹1 lakh in cash to families of 11 of the victims of the infamous Indervelli police firing at the martyrs column during the 38th anniversary of the infamous incident.
He did so in his capacity as the president of Adivasi Hakkula Porata Samiti, better known as Tudum Debba, and the leader of the movement of aboriginal tribes in the State demanding expulsion of Lambada tribe from the list of Scheduled Tribes.
This gesture not only recognised the sacrifice of the ethnic tribe people in their fight for their rights but also signalled the Adivasi organisation's will to rekindle the movement which has it accusing the Lambada tribe of illegal entry into the list of STs and cornering all the benefits.
The movement was seemingly in a listless state thanks to a spate of elections and the shifting of loyalties of another leader, Asifabad MLA Athram Sakku to the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi earlier this year.
Mr. Bapu had categorically stated that he will continue the movement at national level in case he wins the election to attract country wide attention on the issue. He promised to raise the issue in the Parliament, besides announcing holding of a public meeting in New Delhi on December 9.
The question is, will the BJP allow one of its members to wage a struggle independently or will the party give the issue necessary attention to solve it.
Not all Adivasis are hopeful of a solution emerging in quick time.
“No political party can allow such movement independent of the party's stand though the BJP has declared its support for the cause,” opined a leader of Tudum Debba as he took stock of the situation after the election result. “At best, we will be able to organise some public meetings and rallies locally,” he added.
Mr. Bapu Rao himself is confident that his party will be in favour justice, which means it will support the Adivasi cause. His supporters hope for a quick solution so that he can concentrate on the other problems being faced by the aboriginal people.
“A clear picture will emerge once our leader returns from Delhi after attending the BJP parliamentary party meeting,” pointed out another close aide of Mr. Bapu Rao.
“It is however likely that it will be some more time for him to be free and concentrate on the issue,” he observed.
