Naresh Vishwas, Mandla, Madhya Pradesh
The Baigas are known across the country for their cultural heritage and lifestyles. The area adjoining the Satpura mountain range, in Dindori and Mandla districts with 52 forest villages is known as Baiga Chak. The Baigas in this area have preserved their cultural traditions to a large extent. Apart from the Baigas there are 75 other tribal communities in this region. The Baigas of Madhya Pradesh have been declared as a special backward scheduled tribe. There are approximately 300,000 Baigas spread across Mandla, Dindori, Balaghat, Shahdol, Umaria in Madhya Pradesh and Bilaspur and Kavdha districts in Chattisgarh. Of this the population in the Baiga Chak area is roughly 5,500.
Apart from the recognition as National Tribe, Baigas of Madhya Pradesh are also called the original sons of the soil. It is said that if the Baigas have the forest, they have no need for anything else. Their entire lives are dependent on it. Shifting cultivation in the forest areas, collection of leaves and medicinal plants from the forests, are the main sources of livelihoods for Baigas. They are considered storehouses of information on medicinal plants. This reputation has led even all other quacks and traditional healers to be called Baigas – a misnomer in many ways. The practise of shifting cultivation in the forest areas by the Baigas involves controlled burning of small patches of forest, which is then tilled and planted with a variety of seeds. This practise is known as bebar. They do not plough the land as the earth is revered as mother.
In the nineteenth century (1884), when the British enacted forest laws, they took control of all the forest areas across the country. Even at this time, villages in the Baiga Chak region had permission to cultivate in the traditional pattern of bebar. People were content. In 1927, the Forest laws were modified and made more stringent. Forests were considered national resources, and a total ban was imposed on bebar cultivation. The livelihoods crisis of Baigas starts from this point. An old Baiga commented – the British gave India freedom, but why did they not give us freedom to practise bebar (Verrier Elwin). With this ban, the Baigas were forced to relocate to the plains. Many of them also began settled cultivation on forest wastelands.
The bebar cultivators were called encroachers by the Forest Department. At this time, the Supreme Court also ruled in the Godavarman case that all encroachers prior to 1980 be removed from the forests. With this ruling there was large scale forced eviction of forest dwelling communities. In Madhya Pradesh, the worst affected were the Baigas of Mandla and Dindori. Settled in the forest for centuries, a range of human rights violations and atrocities were committed by the Forest Department in forcibly removing the Baigas. Sociologist Verrier Elwin observed that the strife between the Baigas and the Forest Department was one that would never end; a strife that is manifest even today.
Men and women of Gaura village in Dindori district were mercilessly beaten during the forced eviction of Baigas on August 6, 2000 by the officials of forest department, forest protection committees and special armed forces. The Baigas claimed that the beatings were so severe that the guns were bent with the force. These atrocities were not restricted to this village alone. Between August 6 to 8, 2000, such incidents were repeated in five Baiga villages – Gaura, Kanhari, Tumrila, Jilang, Dhaba. There were many families in these villages, who did notcultivate on forest land, but even they were mercilessly beaten with hands tied behind their backs, and forcibly making them drink urine. Such was the treatment meted out to them that it took a few months for the people to emerge from the trauma of the treatment meted out to them.
Budhsingh Baiga of Gaura village also bore the brunt of these atrocities, his wife too. As he was educated to standard 6, he gathered information and came to know about an organisation in Sijhora village in Mandla district, which worked for the poor. Budhsingh Baiga met me in Sijhora on August 14. I was working with Ekta Parishad at that time. Budhsingh explained in detail about the exploitation and atrocities committed by the forest department officials, forest protection committees and special armed forces. His narration was so scary that I did not believe it at first. That forest officials would mete out such treatment to the poor was beyond my imagination. Could the people entrusted with protecting the poor, be their biggest exploiters?
I decided to visit the five affected village and understand for myself. On August 13, I visited Jilang village in the famed Baiga Chak area of Dindori district. As the monsoons had set in I was unable to visit the other villages which were more remote. The people of Jilang were so suspicious and afraid of outsiders, that when they heard the sound of the jeep, they all hid within the corn fields. The village was empty when I went in. With a lot of effort I explained to them that I was not a government official, and convinced them to come out of the fields. The discussion with the villagers convinced me of Budhisingh’s story. I was convinced that there should be some protest and fight for justice. For this the Baigas had to be organised and united.
After the discussions, a date was fixed for a meeting of Baigas from all five affected villages. On August 16, 2000, there was a congregation of Baigas at Sijhora village, and as was decided there, on August 23, a sammelan (larger meeting) was held in the centrally located Chada village. People took all responsibility for organising this event. This was the first time that there was such a large gathering of Baigas in the Baiga Chak area. When people started presenting their testimonies, they were angry and emotional and openly abused the government and forest officials. Some of them burst out into tears as they spoke. At the end of the sammelan, all the Baigas decided to collectively fight for their forest rights and against the exploitation. The Baiga Sangharsh Morcha was formed there. Nearly 10,000 people from 40 villages had participated in this sammelan. A ‘mukhiya (leaders) committee’ was formed with two persons from each of the 40 villages. It was decided that the members of this committee would meet on the seventh of each month. The sammelan at Chada village was an opportunity for me to know and understand the problems of the baigas from such close quarters. I was overwhelmed by this event, because even as it concluded and people were returning to their villages, old men and women came to me and started to touch my feet. I tried to stop them, but they would not listen. They kept saying that for the first time they got an opportunity to speak about their problems and fight against the exploitative forest officials. The feeling that I had that people had to be united and organised to fight this battle was reinforced in me.
Another significant event was triggered by this sammelan. I went with some of the baigas to submit a petition with the testimonies presented at the sammelan, to the ranger at the Chada Forest Division. As the baigas submitted the petition, their anger showed. Seeing the angry mob the ranger was visibly shaking as he read the petition. All the baigas present witnessed this. This was an unusual sight for them, to see a governmentofficial shivering in front of them, and they were energised. My biggest challenge was to keep this motivation and energy going among the baigas, through the long battles ahead.
After September 23, 2000, the mukhiya committee of the Baiga Sangharsh Morcha, started meeting on the seventh of each month in different villages in turn. I decided to attend these meetings and use them to strengthen the organisation and give some direction to the struggle. Since I stayed about 140km away from the Baiga Chak area, it was not possible for me to attend this meeting and return on the same day. Neither was it possible that I would be able to understand their problems and strengthen the organisation this way. I decided to activate a communication network, and visit the weekly markets in and around the Baiga Chak area. Through this I was updated on the day to day issues and concerns in the region. I was then able to visit villages where there were problems, and keep the people motivated in the struggle. Monthly meetings of the mukhiya committee, rallies, sammelans, became a regular feature. The baigas in Dindori district were slowly getting organised. I now wanted to extend this to include baigas in other regions as well, so that their strength would increase.
After September 23, 2000, a serried of petitions and complaints were submitted to government officials, forest officials, etc., to take action against those guilty of exploitation against the baigas and those perpetrating atrocities. No action was initiated, however. On the other hand, the forest department conducted a departmental enquiry to prove that the allegations were false. Ultimately I met Mr Sudip Banerjee, the Forest Secretary of Madhya Pradesh. Around that time, there had been an altercation between the tribal people and forest officials in the Mehendi Kheda region in Devas district, in which several tribal people were killed. I told Mr Sudip Banerjee that it was over a year since the atrocities in the Baiga Chak area, and thus far there had neither been any investigation nor any action against the officials responsible. A repeat of a incident like in the Mehendi Kheda region cannot be ruled out in the Baiga Chak area, and if blood was shed, the forest officials would be squarely responsible. Mr Banerjee ordered for an immediate enquiry, within a week. Soon after, in the monsoons of September, the forest conservator, Jabalpur, walked 15 km through the Baiga Chak region and led the enquiry, and action was taken against the officials found guilty.
On April 24-25, 2000, another baiga sammelan was held at Chada village where about 5,000 baigas participated. There had been continuous efforts to strengthen the organisation of baigas, link baigas of Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh, meetings of baiga maha panchayat and Baiga Sangharsh Morcha. The continuous dialogue with government officials and united stand of the baigas had reduced the threat posed by the forest department, their exploitation and subjugation.
The result was interesting, as over time, with the reduction in exploitation the united force and organisation of baigas became weaker. It was becoming a challenge to keep the baigas united and organised. In an effort to strengthen this, I decided to start a fair price shop at Chada village, which sold kanki (broken rice, which is an integral part of the diet of baigas), as well as the traditional clothing of baigas. On May 3, 2003, there was a Supreme Court directive to include all primitive tribal groups in the Antyodaya Anna Yojana. Baigas of Mandla and Dindori fall in this category, and a campaign was launched to enlist baigas in the region to avail of this scheme, and a public hearing was held on June 6, 2003.A revolving fund was necessary for functioning of the fair price shop, but we had no resources, and the shop did not function for long. Inspite of this, because of the success of the campaign for Antyodaya Anna Yojana and the public hearing, injected some strength into the organisation of the baigas. There was also an effort to avail of other schemes and directives of the government by launching campaigns for support for the homeless, social security pension, minimum wages, etc.
The monthly meeting on the seventh of each month continues to be held. Some collective efforts are also being made to solve issues at the village level. Inspite of this the organisation is not strong. I have always believed that those who are affected must must their own battles, and with this helped to form the baiga maha panchayat and Baiga Sangharsh Morcha, so that the leadership to steer the struggle of the baigas emerges from within. Even after the efforts over the past years, I feel more needs to be done to build the strength and capacities of the village leaders, especially among the younger generation. Only through a continuous process of nurturing will the leadership emerge and which will strengthen the organisation.
The Baigas are known across the country for their cultural heritage and lifestyles. The area adjoining the Satpura mountain range, in Dindori and Mandla districts with 52 forest villages is known as Baiga Chak. The Baigas in this area have preserved their cultural traditions to a large extent. Apart from the Baigas there are 75 other tribal communities in this region. The Baigas of Madhya Pradesh have been declared as a special backward scheduled tribe. There are approximately 300,000 Baigas spread across Mandla, Dindori, Balaghat, Shahdol, Umaria in Madhya Pradesh and Bilaspur and Kavdha districts in Chattisgarh. Of this the population in the Baiga Chak area is roughly 5,500.
Apart from the recognition as National Tribe, Baigas of Madhya Pradesh are also called the original sons of the soil. It is said that if the Baigas have the forest, they have no need for anything else. Their entire lives are dependent on it. Shifting cultivation in the forest areas, collection of leaves and medicinal plants from the forests, are the main sources of livelihoods for Baigas. They are considered storehouses of information on medicinal plants. This reputation has led even all other quacks and traditional healers to be called Baigas – a misnomer in many ways. The practise of shifting cultivation in the forest areas by the Baigas involves controlled burning of small patches of forest, which is then tilled and planted with a variety of seeds. This practise is known as bebar. They do not plough the land as the earth is revered as mother.
In the nineteenth century (1884), when the British enacted forest laws, they took control of all the forest areas across the country. Even at this time, villages in the Baiga Chak region had permission to cultivate in the traditional pattern of bebar. People were content. In 1927, the Forest laws were modified and made more stringent. Forests were considered national resources, and a total ban was imposed on bebar cultivation. The livelihoods crisis of Baigas starts from this point. An old Baiga commented – the British gave India freedom, but why did they not give us freedom to practise bebar (Verrier Elwin). With this ban, the Baigas were forced to relocate to the plains. Many of them also began settled cultivation on forest wastelands.
The bebar cultivators were called encroachers by the Forest Department. At this time, the Supreme Court also ruled in the Godavarman case that all encroachers prior to 1980 be removed from the forests. With this ruling there was large scale forced eviction of forest dwelling communities. In Madhya Pradesh, the worst affected were the Baigas of Mandla and Dindori. Settled in the forest for centuries, a range of human rights violations and atrocities were committed by the Forest Department in forcibly removing the Baigas. Sociologist Verrier Elwin observed that the strife between the Baigas and the Forest Department was one that would never end; a strife that is manifest even today.
Men and women of Gaura village in Dindori district were mercilessly beaten during the forced eviction of Baigas on August 6, 2000 by the officials of forest department, forest protection committees and special armed forces. The Baigas claimed that the beatings were so severe that the guns were bent with the force. These atrocities were not restricted to this village alone. Between August 6 to 8, 2000, such incidents were repeated in five Baiga villages – Gaura, Kanhari, Tumrila, Jilang, Dhaba. There were many families in these villages, who did notcultivate on forest land, but even they were mercilessly beaten with hands tied behind their backs, and forcibly making them drink urine. Such was the treatment meted out to them that it took a few months for the people to emerge from the trauma of the treatment meted out to them.
Budhsingh Baiga of Gaura village also bore the brunt of these atrocities, his wife too. As he was educated to standard 6, he gathered information and came to know about an organisation in Sijhora village in Mandla district, which worked for the poor. Budhsingh Baiga met me in Sijhora on August 14. I was working with Ekta Parishad at that time. Budhsingh explained in detail about the exploitation and atrocities committed by the forest department officials, forest protection committees and special armed forces. His narration was so scary that I did not believe it at first. That forest officials would mete out such treatment to the poor was beyond my imagination. Could the people entrusted with protecting the poor, be their biggest exploiters?
I decided to visit the five affected village and understand for myself. On August 13, I visited Jilang village in the famed Baiga Chak area of Dindori district. As the monsoons had set in I was unable to visit the other villages which were more remote. The people of Jilang were so suspicious and afraid of outsiders, that when they heard the sound of the jeep, they all hid within the corn fields. The village was empty when I went in. With a lot of effort I explained to them that I was not a government official, and convinced them to come out of the fields. The discussion with the villagers convinced me of Budhisingh’s story. I was convinced that there should be some protest and fight for justice. For this the Baigas had to be organised and united.
After the discussions, a date was fixed for a meeting of Baigas from all five affected villages. On August 16, 2000, there was a congregation of Baigas at Sijhora village, and as was decided there, on August 23, a sammelan (larger meeting) was held in the centrally located Chada village. People took all responsibility for organising this event. This was the first time that there was such a large gathering of Baigas in the Baiga Chak area. When people started presenting their testimonies, they were angry and emotional and openly abused the government and forest officials. Some of them burst out into tears as they spoke. At the end of the sammelan, all the Baigas decided to collectively fight for their forest rights and against the exploitation. The Baiga Sangharsh Morcha was formed there. Nearly 10,000 people from 40 villages had participated in this sammelan. A ‘mukhiya (leaders) committee’ was formed with two persons from each of the 40 villages. It was decided that the members of this committee would meet on the seventh of each month. The sammelan at Chada village was an opportunity for me to know and understand the problems of the baigas from such close quarters. I was overwhelmed by this event, because even as it concluded and people were returning to their villages, old men and women came to me and started to touch my feet. I tried to stop them, but they would not listen. They kept saying that for the first time they got an opportunity to speak about their problems and fight against the exploitative forest officials. The feeling that I had that people had to be united and organised to fight this battle was reinforced in me.
Another significant event was triggered by this sammelan. I went with some of the baigas to submit a petition with the testimonies presented at the sammelan, to the ranger at the Chada Forest Division. As the baigas submitted the petition, their anger showed. Seeing the angry mob the ranger was visibly shaking as he read the petition. All the baigas present witnessed this. This was an unusual sight for them, to see a governmentofficial shivering in front of them, and they were energised. My biggest challenge was to keep this motivation and energy going among the baigas, through the long battles ahead.
After September 23, 2000, the mukhiya committee of the Baiga Sangharsh Morcha, started meeting on the seventh of each month in different villages in turn. I decided to attend these meetings and use them to strengthen the organisation and give some direction to the struggle. Since I stayed about 140km away from the Baiga Chak area, it was not possible for me to attend this meeting and return on the same day. Neither was it possible that I would be able to understand their problems and strengthen the organisation this way. I decided to activate a communication network, and visit the weekly markets in and around the Baiga Chak area. Through this I was updated on the day to day issues and concerns in the region. I was then able to visit villages where there were problems, and keep the people motivated in the struggle. Monthly meetings of the mukhiya committee, rallies, sammelans, became a regular feature. The baigas in Dindori district were slowly getting organised. I now wanted to extend this to include baigas in other regions as well, so that their strength would increase.
After September 23, 2000, a serried of petitions and complaints were submitted to government officials, forest officials, etc., to take action against those guilty of exploitation against the baigas and those perpetrating atrocities. No action was initiated, however. On the other hand, the forest department conducted a departmental enquiry to prove that the allegations were false. Ultimately I met Mr Sudip Banerjee, the Forest Secretary of Madhya Pradesh. Around that time, there had been an altercation between the tribal people and forest officials in the Mehendi Kheda region in Devas district, in which several tribal people were killed. I told Mr Sudip Banerjee that it was over a year since the atrocities in the Baiga Chak area, and thus far there had neither been any investigation nor any action against the officials responsible. A repeat of a incident like in the Mehendi Kheda region cannot be ruled out in the Baiga Chak area, and if blood was shed, the forest officials would be squarely responsible. Mr Banerjee ordered for an immediate enquiry, within a week. Soon after, in the monsoons of September, the forest conservator, Jabalpur, walked 15 km through the Baiga Chak region and led the enquiry, and action was taken against the officials found guilty.
On April 24-25, 2000, another baiga sammelan was held at Chada village where about 5,000 baigas participated. There had been continuous efforts to strengthen the organisation of baigas, link baigas of Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh, meetings of baiga maha panchayat and Baiga Sangharsh Morcha. The continuous dialogue with government officials and united stand of the baigas had reduced the threat posed by the forest department, their exploitation and subjugation.
The result was interesting, as over time, with the reduction in exploitation the united force and organisation of baigas became weaker. It was becoming a challenge to keep the baigas united and organised. In an effort to strengthen this, I decided to start a fair price shop at Chada village, which sold kanki (broken rice, which is an integral part of the diet of baigas), as well as the traditional clothing of baigas. On May 3, 2003, there was a Supreme Court directive to include all primitive tribal groups in the Antyodaya Anna Yojana. Baigas of Mandla and Dindori fall in this category, and a campaign was launched to enlist baigas in the region to avail of this scheme, and a public hearing was held on June 6, 2003.A revolving fund was necessary for functioning of the fair price shop, but we had no resources, and the shop did not function for long. Inspite of this, because of the success of the campaign for Antyodaya Anna Yojana and the public hearing, injected some strength into the organisation of the baigas. There was also an effort to avail of other schemes and directives of the government by launching campaigns for support for the homeless, social security pension, minimum wages, etc.
The monthly meeting on the seventh of each month continues to be held. Some collective efforts are also being made to solve issues at the village level. Inspite of this the organisation is not strong. I have always believed that those who are affected must must their own battles, and with this helped to form the baiga maha panchayat and Baiga Sangharsh Morcha, so that the leadership to steer the struggle of the baigas emerges from within. Even after the efforts over the past years, I feel more needs to be done to build the strength and capacities of the village leaders, especially among the younger generation. Only through a continuous process of nurturing will the leadership emerge and which will strengthen the organisation.
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