Adivasis in loggerhead against RSS over Hindutva flag at Aamagarh fort in Rajasthan
Aamagarh fort situated on Galta Hills of Jaipur in the capital of Rajasthan is in news these days. A controversial issue took place between the aboriginal Meena community and the pro-Hindu organizations.
A few days back a video went viral in which the aboriginal Meena Community’s people are taking off the Bhagwa flag from an 8-foot long wooden pole, which was earlier placed by the pro-Hindu organizations.
On 21st July State-president of Rajasthan Adivasi Meena Sewa Sangh and Gangapur city Independent MLA Ramkesh Meena with the people of the Meena community went to the fort and took off the saffron flag and thus the issue became controversial.
Speaking to Vartha Bharti Ramkesh Meena said “The point of dropping the flag is absolutely wrong, I went there with the people who had set the flag, and the same people were taking down the flag but its wooden pole broke while taking it down”
Ramkesh Meena Says “ The people of RSS want to end our tribal culture, they want to impose Hindu religion on us, we do not believe in the saffron flag as the tricolor flag of the country we already have, there will be either a tricolor flag or a tribal flag.”
The Meena community believes that this fort belongs to the kings of the tribal Meena community, where Amba Devi’s temple is the family deity of the Nagla gotra of the tribals. Some people changed the name to Ambika Bhavani.
Arjun Meher, the Convenor of the Rajasthan unit of the All India Students Association (AISA), speaking out loud in this matter and himself belonging to the tribal Meena community while talking to Vartha Bharti said that "Hinduists want to change our history, Who gave them this right to hoist the saffron flag of a particular religion on the national heritage under the Department of Archeology if any flag to be waved then only the tricolor should be waived.
Earlier on June 25, some idols of the tribal Meena community temple present in the fort were vandalized, which was accused of people of a particular religion, But Arjun Meher denies these allegations.
He further said that "our idols have also been broken by these Hindu organizations, because after dismantling them, they put their idols there, idols with which the tribal community has nothing to do".
Speaking to Vartha Bharati, MLA Ramkesh Meena said that “The act of RSS is always creating a clash between Hindus and Muslims, they deliberately want to give it a communal color, after all, the MLA Rafiq Khan whom they are accusing of having no connection with this, why will he go to Amagarh, the idols have been destroyed by the same people who later placed their idols there.”
As the matter escalated, there was a flood of reactions on social media. Updesh Rana, who gave an inflammatory speech on social media, posted a video on Facebook that he would come to hoist the saffron flag in Amagarh fort on 23 July, but he didn’t come.
Sudarshan channel’s editor Ashok Chavhanke has done a program on the whole matter and has challenged that he will go to Amagarh fort on 1st August and hoist the saffron flag, on which the Meena community of Rajasthan is appealing to its people to reach Amagarh on 1st of August.
Arjun Meher also said that “The tribal community of Rajasthan will gather in Jaipur on August 1 to save their heritage and land”.
Tribal leader Chhotubhai Vasava tweeted and wrote -
"Only 2 flags will be waved at Amagarh one the tricolor and the other one of the tribal community. The descendants of the people who ran their homes as slaves of the Mughals & Britishers will now teach us patriotism and flag to indigenous. Those Meenas who’re against Ramkesh give up the ST certificate.
Link - https://twitter.com/chhotu_vasava/status/1419632681915011074?s=21
Bhim Army convener Chandrashekhar Azad has also tweeted in the matter –
Trying to capture Ambagarh Fort with the help of the saffron flag hoisting is a shameful machination of RSS. Even though the Ambagarh Fort will be just a ruin for others but for the tribals it is a sign of their sacrifice. The tribals will put up their flag. RSS should stop interfering.
Link - https://twitter.com/bhimarmychief/status/1419525950740389890?s=21
Last year a similar dispute took place in Udaipur's Salumber. There was a dispute over the saffron flag at the Sonarmata temple on Sonar Pahari.
Rajkumar Raut, MLA of the Bharatiya Tribals Party from the Chaurasi Constituency of Dungarpur district, while talking to Vartha Bharti said that "the same act was done in Salumber, the red flag of the Dayma gotra of the tribal Bhil community is hoisted every year on the hills of Sonar".
“But Hindutva organizations hoisted the saffron flag there, we put our red flag there with the help of the administration but many of our people were booked for insulting the saffron flag.”
In the incident that took place at Sonar Mata Temple in Salumbar, BJP had accused the Bharatiya Tribals Party of removing the saffron flag and putting their party flag there.
Raut further says “Amagarh is the place of tribal Meenas and Meena group is politically and administratively strong so they are fighting, but other weaker tribes are suppressed as Naxalites”
Tribals -vs-Hinduism
For many years, the Tribals have been demanding that they should be separated from Hinduism because their mode of life, language, articles of clothing, and beliefs are different.
In March this year, in the assembly, Rajasthan Youth Congress President and Congress tribal MLA from Dungarpur, Ganesh Goghra, had demanded a separate code, describing the tribals as separate from Hinduism.
He spoke in the Rajasthan assembly “Our tribal religion is different, our culture is different, we worship nature! People of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) say tribals are Hindus, while we are being exploited in the name of Hindu. Our tribal religion code should be different, imposing Hindu religion on us should be stopped, we are not Hindus, and we do not consider ourselves Hindus.”
MLA Ramkesh Meena Says "Adivasis are not Hindus, we are worshipers of nature, we have a different culture, but RSS wants to impose Hindu religion on us."
Rajkumar Raut says "Adivasis are not Hindus, as they are not included in any of the four Varnas of Hinduism, nor does the Hindu Marriage Act apply to tribals".
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SC issues contempt notice over scurrilous allegations against Telangana HC judge
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued contempt notices to a litigant and his lawyers for making "scurrilous allegations" against a sitting judge of the Telangana High Court in their plea.
The top court, while issuing the show cause notices to the petitioner and his lawyers, refused to allow withdrawal of the petition, and said, “We cannot permit judges to be out in a box and allow any litigant to make such allegations against a judge. Here we were trying to protect lawyers.”
A bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran was hearing a transfer plea filed by petitioner N Peddi Raju filed through advocate-on-record Ritesh Patil.
The petition involved a case in which Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had received relief from a high court in a matter under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
“Here we were trying to protect lawyers, but this kind of conduct cannot be condoned,” the bench, which earlier heard another suo motu case pertaining to summoning of lawyers by the ED for rendering legal advice, said.
“Scurrilous allegations have been made against the sitting judge of Telangana High Court. It has been held (in a judgement) that it is not only a litigant but also a lawyer who signs (the petition) is guilty of contempt of court.
“We thus issue notice to Peddi Raju as well as the lawyers … and the AoR. They are directed to state why contempt should not be initiated against them. Notice returnable on August 11,” the CJI said.
A counsel sought the liberty to withdraw the remarks after the court expressed strong displeasure. However, the bench dismissed the request.
“File apology …we will see whether to consider or not. We will see the apology is genuine or not. When we expressed displeasure at the language, liberty was sought to withdraw. We dismissed the request,” the bench said.
The case stems from the Telangana High Court's decision to quash a criminal case registered against the chief minister under the SC/ST Act.
The petitioner later approached the top court with a transfer plea, alleging bias and impropriety on the part of the high court judge.
Senior advocate Sidharth Luthra appeared on behalf of the chief minister.
