BLURB
The Wanarmare deserve to be treated like human beings and not like an unwanted species. More than sympathy, this tribe deserves a shot at life under a permanent roof and with some security.
=========================================
Of the many resolutions passed by gram sabhas, the most controversial one till date is the one outlawing a tribal community. This resolution was passed on Sunday by the Bethora village panchayat. The gram sabha resolved to banish a tribal community of around 17 families comprising 87 members which, after years of wandering, came to settle in Nirankal in the village of Bethora. Members of the tribe live in very poor conditions and get their name “ Wanarmare “ from their past occupation of hunting monkeys. This they accomplished with bows and arrows until it was made illegal. Their misfortune is that they have no place to call home, no proper identity papers and no access to the many schemes launched by the government. Only recently, they were brought under the Food Security Act and given ration and aadhar cards.
Who are these people? They are a wandering tribe, parts of which have been recognized and resettled by the Karnataka and Maharashtra governments. Every time these 17 families attempt to settle down in Goa, forest officials drive them out. Now that they have found some recognition, the village panchayat of Bethora is attempting to undermine their gains and once again convert them into wanderers.
More than sympathy, this tribe deserves a shot at life under a permanent roof and with some security. They are not demanding much “ just a piece of land on which to build their homes. They presently live in squalid conditions which cannot improve if they are evicted.
The Wanarmare deserve to be treated like human beings and not like an unwanted species. No panchayat or gram sabha has the right to evict them because they are citizens of the country and therefore enjoy every right and protection granted to them by the Constitution. These rights and protections cannot be taken away by a gram sabha. The charges made against them appear to be made-up to instill fear in residents of the village. Unless complaints of assault have been registered in police stations, these allegations cannot be taken seriously.
Under the panchayat act, the role of the gram sabha is restricted. It is not a supreme body that can take any decision that comes to its mind. It has to function under the ambit of the law and though it has an important role to play in grass-root democracy, it does not have an unfettered right to do as it pleases.
We do understand that the people of Bethora might feel uneasy and fearful of the presence of the tribe. Some might even harbour resentment over the fact that they were granted food security, ration cards and aadhar cards while many of them had to run from pillar to post to acquire the same. But these are not compelling reasons to outlaw an entire community. On the contrary they deserve our support and empathy.
Like all of us they too have a simple aspiration that their children live better lives. That they go to school and get an education and use that education to get jobs and eventually integrate with society as we know it. They must be helped on this journey to a life with dignity. They must be aided in their endeavour to settle down with a roof over their heads and pursue their dreams. They need our support.
