MP: Why BJP is Rallying Behind Marginalised Kol Tribes of Vindhya Region

Bhopal: To win back votes of Madhya Pradesh's third largest tribe -- Kol -- in the 2023 Assembly polls slated to be held later this year, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government held ‘Kol Mahakumbh’ (Kol tribal convention) in Satna on February 24, on the birth anniversary of Kol tribe icon, Sabri Mata, a great devotee of lord Ram.

While BJP bigwigs like Union home minister Amit Shah and state Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan listed out various measures the government has taken for the uplift of the Kol people, members of the Kol communities told Newsclick that many of the programmes/schemes had not taken off and had failed in their goals. Some said they do not want dole but jobs and education, which would economically empower them.

The largest tribe in the Vindhya region, Kols had a sizable population of over 11.67 lakh in the 2011 Census in the state. The indigenous voters play a decisive role in over two dozen Assembly seats of the region comprising seven districts. The community, which was traditionally dependent on forest produce and agriculture, has now become urban labourers since the forest now belongs to the government.

Addressing a gathering of over 80,000 people who came from nearby districts on government-funded buses, Shah said:" The Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led Madhya Pradesh government has done remarkable work for the welfare of the Kol community and for the other tribal brothers and sisters."

Drawing parallels with the work done for the tribal community by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government for tribals with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, the BJP leader pointed out: "(Prime Minister) Modi government has spent Rs 89,000 crore for tribal welfare as compared to Rs 24,000 crore during the Congress-led UPA dispensation. The number of Eklavya Model Schools for children of tribal communities were increased from 167 to 690. The fund for the scholarship of the tribal students raised from Rs 978 crore to Rs 2,533 crore."

Meanwhile, several political experts here believe that BJP's poor show in the panchayat and urban body elections in the region has forced the party to pacify the community and fight anti-incumbency. The saffron party, which performed poorly in the other regions of the state in the 2018 Assembly elections, won 26 seats out of 30.

The Congress, which won 12 seats out of 30 in 2013 Assembly polls, settled for only four in the last polls.

Kol is the biggest tribe in the Vindhya region with a strong footprint in seven districts -- Satna, Rewa, Sidhi, Singrauli, Shahdol, Anuppur and Umaria. The 12 lakh Kol voters recorded around 78% of the voting percentage in the last Assembly polls.

In his speech, Shah also made it a point to mention the contribution of the Kol community in the freedom struggle. “The Kol community had a very significant contribution in the freedom movement. PM Modi is establishing a tribal freedom fighters museum across the country at a cost of Rs 200 crore where the bravery of Kols in the freedom mutiny will be exhibited along with other tribal freedom fighters,” he said.

It is widely believed that the saffron party is focusing on one of the most backward tribes and a tiny vote bank as a poll strategy keeping the last poll results in mind. Recall that in 2018, the BJP’s vote share was 0.1% more than that of Congress. Yet, it won five seats less than Congress. Therefore, the party is focusing on small tribes to turn the tide.

According to the party leaders, in the last elections, when BJP performed poorly in the other regions that led to the end of its15-year rule in the state, the party got overwhelming seats in the Vindhya region because of the Kol votes.

Gaurav Tiwari, a youth BJP leader from Rewa, told this reporter that Kols, who were known as traditional Congress voters, shifted to the saffron party because the BJP tried to uplift the community with the help of the state and Central government's schemes.

"The majority of beneficiaries of PM Awas, Ujjwala, Aayushman, toilets under Swachh Bharat Mission and free ration scheme belong to the Kol tribe," he said, adding that they were not as astute as other tribes when it comes to politics. “They are emotionally vulnerable and are coexisting peacefully with the upper caste voters," he added.

Addressing the participants in the convention, Shah also reiterated the commitment of the Modi government towards the marginalised sections.

 "The Modi government is committed towards the development of tribals, Scheduled Castes, and the backward by giving five kilogrammes of food grains free, providing houses to more than three crore persons, free medical treatment of up to Rs 5 lakh as well as building toilets in 10 crore homes," he said.

He also flayed the Congress for keeping the tribals at bay referring to President Droupadi Murmu, the first tribal president (of India) who took oath last year. "In 50 years of rule, Congress never gave preference to tribals for the top job," Shah said.

Attacking the previous Kamal Nath-led Congress government in the state, the BJP leader accused it of stopping welfare schemes started by Chouhan. The Nath government was in power from December 17, 2018 till March 20, 2020. "The double engine government under Modi at the Centre and Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Madhya Pradesh is determined to bring happiness to the lives of every poor of the state," he claimed.

The Chief Minister, who announced the construction of Vindhya Expressway to connect the state capital with Singrauli a week ago, inaugurated Satna Medical College, a longstanding demand, with Shah on Friday. The college is spread over 43 acres and is built with a cost of over Rs 550 crore.

Speaking at the Kol tribe convention, Chouhan also made a slew of announcements for the community.

He promised that a Rs 1,000 monthly dietary grant would be provided for Kol tribe women along the lines of a similar monthly sum already being provided to women of three ‘especially vulnerable’ primitive tribes -- Saharia, Bharia and Baiga. "The ‘Kol Garhi Fort’ associated with the Kol tribe rulers in Teonthar tehsil of Rewa will be developed at an estimated cost of Rs 3.5 crore," he added.

The CM also assured of providing bank loans to Kol youth engaged in their own business and promised to give them interest subsidy. "The landless will be given government pattas, arrangements for training and coaching will also be made for the students preparing for competitive examinations. Post-graduate tribal hostels will be set-up at Rewa district headquarters and Kol tribal girls hostel in Satna," he announced

NewsClick spoke to a few activists and leaders of the Kol community to understand the socio-economic condition of the community and what these promises mean to them.

 Jobs, Education Hold the Key: Kol Activist

Vindo Kol, a social activist from Rewa, said: "The forest dwellers became labourers after they were thrown out of the forest which belongs to the government now. A large number of families who were shifted from the forest with a promise of development did not have any source of living. Majority of the families migrated to other cities to work as farm or construction workers for almost six months to earn a living."

Kol further pointed out that in 2012, a Kol Development Agency was set up by the Chouhan-led government under the Tribal Welfare Department. It was constituted for the overall development (education, housing, jobs, construction of community shades and others) of the tribe and Rs 1 crore granted to the agency. "Kol Development Cells were formed in the Kol-dominated seven districts. But even after a decade, it's dysfunctional owing to fund crunch. And hardly anyone gets benefited," he said.

When asked for comments on the Home Minister's promise of the free ration scheme, he said. "The free ration is not going to uplift the community but education and the jobs are. By just providing free ration, the government is making us dependent."

Commenting over CM Chouhan's bank loan promise to Kol youths, another activist, Shivshakar Kol said:"Neither we have education nor land, on what grounds will banks give us loans? Before doing anything, educate us."

Ravi Kumar Kol from Rewa said: "Majority of the literate youths of the community are self-made. They struggled a lot but hardly got any government support."

He added that "An SC/ST Hostel, opened in 1981 with 100 beds in Rewa, is in the same condition even after 41 years. Since the majority of the parents are illiterate, they did not send their children to schools. Those who enrol themselves drop out after class eight or 10th . Families alone can't bear the expenses of their children's education."

Commenting on Shah’s reference to “forgotten” freedom fighters of the Kol community, he said: "Six Kol freedom fighters martyred in the mutiny of 1857 alongside Thakur Ranmat Singh in Rewa. But they are lost in the pages of history. A college in Rewa named after Thakur but Kols were forgotten."

Meanwhile, after the culmination of the convention, when the participants were heading back to their homes, an  accident near Sidhi claimed 15 lives.

According to officials, the incident occurred after a speeding truck rammed the three buses standing roadside near Sidhi. Two buses fell from the cliff while one overturned nearby. The incident left over a dozen of Kol community members dead and over two dozen injured.
 
Chouhan, who was in Satna along with the Home Minister to assess the party's position in the region, rushed to the spot. He announced ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh to the kin of the deceased and Rs 2 lakh to the injured.
 

BJP's ‘’Tribal Love
 

After losing half of the tribal seats in the 2018 Assembly elections to Congress, the BJP has launched an extensive tribal outreach programme, especially focusing on the Bhil and Gond communities-- the two most populous tribes in the state.
 
To woo the 21.6 % (nearly 1.53 crore) tribal population of the state, the highest in the country, the state government has renamed railway stations, bus stands and colleges after tribal icons. It also implemented PESA (Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act 1996, which was in limbo for years.

The saffron party held ‘Janjati’ rallies in Bhopal, Jabalpur, Shahdol where PM Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and president Murmu participated.

To persuade the Bhil tribe, which accounts for nearly 40% (59.93 lakh) of the total 1.53 crore tribal population in MP, the government made a “forgotten” tribal freedom fighter, Tantya Bhil, a poster boy of the tribals' freedom struggle in the state.

To lure Gond tribes, the Chouhan government renamed Habibganj railway station after the last Gond queen of Bhopal, Rani Kamlapati. The Chhindwara medical college was renamed after Raghunath Shah and Shanker Shah – the father-son duo who were murdered by the British in the first mutiny of Independence.

After the Bhil and the Gond tribes, now, the party is focusing on Kols to counter anti-incumbency, which was reflected in the civic body polls held last year.

Incidentally, the Vindhya region, which gave 26 MLAs to BJP, did not get representation in the state cabinet as it should have. The region largely remained ignored after BJP returned to power in March 2020 after toppling the 15-month-long Kamal Nath government with the help of 26 Jyotiraditya Scindia loyalist MLAs, say political experts.

This became evident when the government announced construction of Vindhya Expressway, laid the foundation stone of the airport in Rewa last week with no specific deadline and also inaugurated a medical college in Satna.

A BJP leader from the community, Ramkhelawan Kol, told Newsclick: “It's an effort to bring all tribal voters of the region to one side. With Kol Mahakumbh, the party wants to pamper the loyal Kol voters," he said, adding that "Since Kol were the major beneficiaries of the Union as well as state government's schemes in the Vindhya region, they were inclined toward BJP in the previous elections."

The opposition Congress, however, took a dig at the Chouhan government's “desperation” to pacify anti-incumbency sentiment.

Speaking with Newsclick, Congress' Media Department chairman KK Mishra, said “the region gave 26 MLAs and five MPs to BJP. Instead of giving them proper representation in the cabinet and the promised development, they were shown a thumb. The saffron party has betrayed the trust of Vindhya voters."

Congress also alleged that in the garb of government events, the BJP leaders were asking votes for the party.

"They have all the right to seek votes but not at the cost of public money," a party leader said.

https://twitter.com/BabelePiyush/status/1629418871844216835?t=aOVoKkpnImjk-QNjnWg-Kw&s=19

"Kol Mahakumbh was a government-funded event. But the Home Minister Amit Shah openly asks for votes for the BJP like one does in party-funded rallies. Isn't the misuse of public funds? Will the BJP pay for this?", he added.

(With PTI inputs)