Tribals, Dalits stage protest in Bhopal; traffic hit

Upset with the government’s apathy to their land rights, tribals and Dalits from various districts converged in Bhopal on Thursday and blocked one of the busiest traffic junctions of the city.

Upset with the government’s apathy to their land rights, tribals and Dalits from various districts converged in Bhopal on Thursday and blocked one of the busiest traffic junctions of the city.

Heavy traffic jam was witnessed at Board Office Square as Dalits and tribals staged a protest in Bhopal on Thursday. (Mujeeb Faruqui/HT photo)

The administration and police had no inkling that these protesters, mostly from the eastern part of the state, had planned to hold their dharna at the Board Office square.

The organisers, Rashtriya Dalit Mahasabha, had taken permission for a rally but hadn’t informed about their dharna to the administration.

As a result of the dharna, traffic almost came to a halt during the peak hours of the day. Traffic police diverted vehicles but it hardly helped lakhs of commuters.

“Five years ago, the CM had promised that he would resolve the issue... But, he did nothing. Our core demand is that each landless tribal and Dalit should be given five acre land,” Rashtriya Dalit Mahasabha secretary Samay Bhartiya said.

Tribals and Dalits living in forest and government land were also being evicted, he said. “If the government doesn’t take any step, we will hold a massive dharna in Bhopal,” Bhartiya warned.