New Delhi: Five cases registered in connection with the Pathalgadi movement in Jharkhand’s Kunti district are still pending to be withdrawn. Four years ago, in December 2019, when Jharkhand’s current chief minister Hemant Soren took over, he vowed to withdraw all cases in connection with the movement, filed under his predecessor Raghubar Das’s government.Of the total 21 cases registered by Das’s government in Khunti, 16 so far have been withdrawn under the Soren government. In March 2020, the Soren government going against its promise filed a new case against the movement. The pending cases name Stan Swamy along with 20 other activists and intellectuals associated with the movement.The information regarding pending cases has been disclosed by replies received to appeals filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, said Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha in a press statement.On 29 December 2019, when Soren right after taking the oath as chief minister announced the withdrawal of all Pathalgadi cases, it was met with widespread appreciation and support. The earlier Jharkhand government, headed by Das, had come down heavily on the Pathalgadi movement and responded with severe violence and repression. It had filed several cases against the people associated with the movement and also several Adivasi traditional heads of the villages.The police had filed several cases against about 200 named accused and more than 10,000 unnamed people under charges that included abetment, obstruction to public servants discharging their duty, creation of public nuisance, criminal intimidation, and even sedition. As many as 28 first information reports (FIRs) related to the Pathalgadi movement were spread across Khunti (21), Saraikela-Kharsawan (5), and West Singhbhum (2) districts were registered by the Raghubar Das government.There are allegations that the Soren government is yet to address the issues raised during the Pathalgadi movement, such as widespread violation of special laws and provisions for Adivasis (PESA, Fifth Schedule, Land Acquisition Act, CNT Act, etc.), marginalisation of Adivasi worldview, exploitation of Adivasis by the police, administration, and non-Adivasis and so on.The Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha has been demanding the Soren government to immediately withdraw all five pending Pathalgadi cases, initiate action against human rights violations in Khunti, and award compensation to victims. It has also been calling for the strict implementation of special laws and provisions for Adivasis such as PESA, Fifth Schedule, Land Acquisition Act, CNT Act, and so on in letter and spirit.
