A Bankura tribal protest over 19 demands, including the reopening of closed hostels and action against alleged fake tribal certificates, turned tense on Tuesday after marchers and police confronted each other outside the district magistrate’s office in Bankura, West Bengal. Several police personnel reportedly fell during the pushing, while some protesters entered the office compound before the district magistrate accepted their memorandum.
The protest was organised by the Bharat Jakat Majhi Pargana Mahal, a tribal social organisation, which had called for demonstrations over demands concerning tribal education, documentation and administrative safeguards. The organisation’s demands include reopening hostels that have shut across Bankura, Purulia, Jhargram and other parts of the Jangalmahal region, stopping the alleged issuance of fake tribal certificates to non-tribal people, and establishing a board for Santali-medium education.
According to the report, the protesters marched through Bankura town towards the district magistrate’s office. Police placed a barricade near DIG More to stop the procession. The confrontation began when some protesters allegedly pushed against the barricades, after which demonstrators continued their protest outside the restricted area.
The situation became more tense when the organisation’s representatives went to submit the memorandum and were informed that the district magistrate was not present in the office. Protesters then moved towards the main gate of the district magistrate’s office compound. Police closed the iron gate in an attempt to prevent them from entering, and several police personnel reportedly fell during the ensuing pushing and crowd control efforts.
Some protesters subsequently entered the office compound. A large police contingent reached the site and removed the demonstrators from the premises, after which the organisation continued its protest outside the office for some time. The report does not provide details of any injuries, arrests or property damage.
The district magistrate later reached the office and accepted the memorandum. Babunath Tudu, a leader of the Bharat Jakat Majhi Pargana Mahal who led Tuesday’s protest, said the organisation had come not only to submit its demands but also to discuss them with the district’s senior-most administrative officer.
Tudu said the district magistrate asked for seven days to review the demands after discussions with the protesters. The organisation then temporarily withdrew its demonstration. The next formal step identified in the report is the district administration’s review of the 19-point memorandum within the period sought by the district magistrate.
