Tribals oppose and attack fascist Naxal sympathizers

Dantewada tribals attack Medha Patkar

BHOPAL: Tribals angry with activists fighting for human rights of Naxals while ignoring poor ‘adivasis’ threw rotten eggs and tomatoes at Magsaysay award winner Medha Patkar and Sandeep Pandey as they reached Dantewada town in Chhattisgarh on Wednesday.

While Medha, being a woman, did not face much humiliation, her companion Pandey was pulled down from the motorcycle and given a hiding. He was pushed around and asked why the activists had done nothing for the tribals but found cause to support Naxals.

Medha, who leads Narmada Bachao Andolan, and Pandey who founded Asha for Education, were on their way to participate in a 'jan sunwai' (people's court) in Naxal-hit areas on Thursday. Patkar and Pandey were on a motorbike when tribals carrying banners of ‘Maa Danteswadi Adivasi Swabhimaan Manch’ surrounded them, asking them to go back.

Shouting slogans like "Wapas jao, wapas jao (go back)", the tribals alleged that NGOs "support Naxals under the pretext of human rights."

My only regret, Suzanne Arundhati Roy missed the action and a black eye. Maybe, she was somewhere else scheming how to dupe tribals of their land and resources. It is time to dump our age old "woman should not be harassed or humiliated" since Naxals are using women to kill and maim villagers in this era of equal opportunity for all. Tit for tat.