The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad arrested three activists, including a woman, associated with the "Pathalgadi movement" from tribal-populated areas of south and central Gujarat and booked them under stringent Indian penal codes including "conspiring" to "wage war against the nation," "sedition" and "promoting enmity between two groups" with the help of followers of Satipati community."
The accused have been identified as Samu and Birsa Oreya, originally from Khunti district in Jharkhand, from Vyara in Tapi district in south Gujarat while third accused Babita Kachhap, who hails from Ranchi, was apprehended from Santrampur taluka of Mahisagar district on Friday.
ATS officials said that the operation was based on "inputs" that three persons living in Tapi and Mahisagar districts are activists of "Pathalgadi movement" who were conspiring to instigate followers of Satipati community in the localities for violent uprising against the state government. Two of the suspects-Birsa and Babita- are said to be absconding in similar offences registered in their native state of Jharkhand.
The FIR stated that an intelligence input was received from reliable sources that "Babita Kachhap is involved in instigating the followers of Satipati cult to violent means in pursuit of their objectives. The intelligence input further indicated that her area of activity is Kevadia (seat of Statue of Unity), Dahod and Chhota-Udepur.” Samu and Birsa Oreya were active in Vyara."
It further alleged that “They are instigating the followers of Satipati cult by wrong interpretation of the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of India and Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA)…" This act provides for the rights to territorial integrity to tribal panchayats whose permission is required for any development on the land. This law prevents land transfer to non-tribals but there have been several instances of misuse of the law in the state.
ATS officials said that they had kept a phone number belonging to Samu under surveillance which reportedly revealed that he was propagating that “only tribals will live in India and no-one else…The work has started from 2020, still a lot is to be done.” These tapped conversations reportedly indicate “advocating violent means to achieve their end.” The FIR quotes the suspects as conversing on phone that “our fight has started in each village, and we will be able to remove camps of police and CRPF….we should deposit all the ration cards, Aadhar cards etc from the villagers and those who oppose it should be finished. Villagers have to follow our traditions/customs and they will have to join our party. Only this behaviour will take us to our objective and then only we will be able to counter-attack, and no one will be able to raise his voice against us.”
The 11-page FIR written in English also mentions “claims” made the accused to instigate the “naïve and innocent tribal followers of Satipati cult" as "preposterous and bizarre such as in one call they claim that again British government will come and the Britishers will rule over the present government and then we will be independent." In one of the conversations, the caller is allegedly demanding weapons, who is replied by an unidentified caller that "once you are able to prove yourself, then you will receive weapons." The tapped conversations also claim that the accused activists "urged locals not to allow doctors to enter the village for checking coronavirus patients."
It is widely believed that Pathalgadi movement is "inspired" from Gujarat's Satipati movement that denounces the government of India and doesn't believe in its laws. Satipati followers believe that they have the sovereign right over the forest and other natural resources. They are known for boycotting votes and government benefits, among others.
However, the Satipati movement has remained non-violent in the state, which originated from Vyara in Tapi district by Kunwar Keshri Singh. The Pathalgadi movement, which also seeks Adivasi rights over the resources by self-rule and prohibits outsiders, has gone violent on many occasions. Pathalgadhi is said to have originated from Khunti district, the birthplace of tribal icon Birsa Munda.