Tribals just escaped surgical strike
A major mishap has been averted last minute. And this issue is not related to India and Pakistan. It happened on our very land. Supreme Court had permitted a plan to displace lakhs of citizens through surgical strike on our very land. Owing to this, more than 10 lakh families would have been displaced.
These are not terrorists who have come from Pakistan. They have been living inside the forest since ages and generations. They have the real entitlement to the forest. The Supreme Court had to order their eviction out of compulsion because the lawyer that had to appear on behalf of the tribals had not attended the hearings of the case. Or, the government didn’t want the lawyer to attend the hearings. Because to evict them was the grand plan the government had so that the forest could be handed over to corporates.
But the government hardly anticipated the backlash. The tribal communities came together and protested against the verdict by the Supreme Court. Tribals in north eastern states began consolidating against the government. If this order had been implemented, a large scale massacre of the adivasis would have taken place. And the friction between the government and adivasis would have reached its peak.
Now the citizenship bill has already created such a furor in north east. Now with this order, the damage would have been manifold. The pressure to review this verdict came from the international level and the government appealed to the Supreme Court regarding this. And the court issued a stay on it immediately. The Court has rapped the government asking “were you in slumber till now?” and the government pleaded helpless saying the states were non-cooperative in this.
This shows the level of commitment of the government in safeguarding the interests of about 10 lakh adivasi families. The government barely thinks these are also equal citizens of the country. The governments want forests, but not the adivasis. Government thinks forest is just about the priceless trees that line the land and the mining sites that exist within. In some ways, this is similar to the attitude the government has towards Kashmir. India wants Kashmir yes, but that’s not just geographical borders. It is also about people who have their livelihoods there. Our leaders have conveniently forgotten that. Hence the large scale violence that the army has carried out against the Kashmiris has been distancing the people living there from India. We are trying to make Kashmir ours with rifles. The final result of this is already visible.
The same approach is being adapted with respect to the Adivasis as well. Government wants the forests, but not the adivasis. If they are forcibly evicted, do we have a good rehabilitation plan? No, not even that. Can we evict them only based on the rifle? Won’t they rebel against their own government? Saving environment is just one reason for the government. Corporate forces have set their sights on the forests and they assume all everything lying there is just unclaimed riches. For them to carry out mining and start resorts, the adivasis have to leave first. Hence the government had discouraged the lawyer from attending the court hearing on the matter. Now with the Supreme Court rapping them, the government is forced to face the humiliation.
The pattern of cruelty can be noted if one observes the naxal history. This shows the atrocities of the army, and army officers meted out on the adivasis. They are not literate and have no idea about the policies and legalities. Hence it is easy to cheat them. When the government stood against their interest, the naxals stood with them. They suffered immensely at the hands of police. Adivasi displacement is the main reason for spread of naxalism here. If the government had even implemented the court order, the country would have seen massive bloodshed. Forest is the livelihood of the tribals, They’d feel like fish out of water if they are thrown out of their forests. Kudos to Supreme Court for staying its own order. Even if they have to be rehabilitated, a good plan in place for their life ahead would be highly appreciable too. Hence the government has to take the tribal organizations into confidence.
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Prasidh, Kuldeep limit South Africa to 270 after De Kock's hundred
Visakhapatnam (PTI): India fought back gallantly through Prasidh Krishna and Kuldeep Yadav after Quinton de Kock struck his 23rd hundred, keeping South Africa to a manageable 270 in the third and series-deciding final ODI, here Saturday.
India won the toss after judging the spin of the coin incorrectly 20 times in a row. They had little hesitation in inserting the Proteas into bat, a clear indication of dew factor dominating the thought.
After Arshdeep Singh sent back Ryan Rickelton early, De Kock (106, 89b, 8x4, 6x4) struck his seventh century against India and put on 113 runs off 124 balls with skipper Temba Bavuma (48, 67b) as the visitors moved to a healthy position.
De Kock was severe on Prasidh (4/66), who erred on length continuously in his first spell (2-0-27-0). The left-hander biffed the pacer for 6, 6, 4 in his second over to milk 18 runs.
The 32-year-old quickly pounced on anything that was short, and pacers Prasidh and Harshit offered him plenty of feed on his pet areas.
Bavuma was more sedate, and made runs through those typical dabs and jabs, occasionally unfurling a drive of elan.
De Kock moved to fifty in 42 balls, and never let the tempo down reaching his hundred in 79 balls.
India found temporary relief when Ravindra Jadeja induced a false slash from Bavuma to get caught by Virat Kohli at point.
The tourists got another move on through a 54-run partnership between De Kock and Matthew Breetzkle for the third wicket, and at 168 for two in 28 overs they were in a good position to press on.
But Breetzke's punishment of part-time spinner Tilak Varma forced a rethink in the Indian camp, as skipper KL Rahul brought back Prasidh for a second spell.
What a masterstroke it turned out to be! The Karnataka man broke the back of South Africa’s top and middle order in an exceptional second spell (4-0-11-3).
Breetzke was the first man to go, trapped plumb in front with a straight one and four balls later Aiden Markram uppishly chipped a fuller delivery to Kohli at short covers.
Prasidh soon castled De Kock, whose ugly cross-batted swipe failed to connect a full length delivery from the pacer.
All of a sudden, SA found themselves at a shaky 199 for five, losing three wickets in the space of three overs.
Once Prasidh was done away with the top and middle-order, left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep (4/41) took over and mopped up the tail as SA fell short of even a par total on this track.
