Hasdev Movement: “They can burn the protest site but not our thoughts”- Ramlal Kariyam

Ramlal Kariyam, associated with Hasdev Aranya Bachao Sangharsh Samiti, while talking to ‘The Mooknayak’, says, “When the whole country was celebrating Holi, the protest site of people demanding rights in Hasdev Aranya was burnt. Such misdeeds are highly condemnable.”

Published on: 27 Mar 2024, 5:03 pm

Surguja. The protest site of Hasdev movement going on in Surguja district of Chhattisgarh was set on fire last Sunday night. Due to which most of the hut-like tents made of bamboo at the protest site were burnt. People associated with ‘Hasdev Aranya Bachao Sangharsh Samiti’ have alleged that their protest site has been burnt at the behest of the company. The committee has demanded registration of FIR against the administration and Adani Company regarding this.

A large number of trees were cut in December last, just a short distance from the place where the tent built by the committee for the protest was burnt. According to media reports, on the night of 21 December 2023, cutting of trees was started in that part of Hasdev Aranya falling in Udaipur tehsil of Surguja district of Chhattisgarh, where the Parsa East Kete Basen Coal Project is proposed. During this period, the Pendramar forest of Ghat Barra village here was completely cut down. Under the banner of ‘Hasdev Aranya Bachao Sangharsh Samiti’, local people are protesting against the cutting of these trees.

Ramlal Kariyam, associated with Hasdev Aranya Bachao Sangharsh Samiti, while talking to ‘The Mooknayak’, says, “When the whole country was celebrating Holi, the protest site of people demanding rights in Hasdev Aranya was burnt. Such misdeeds are highly condemnable. We have complained about this to the police, investigation is going on now.”

Ramlal Kariyam. Soumya Raj.

The tent was set on fire when everyone was sleeping at night.

Kariyam further says, “People from 37 villages used to come and sit at the protest site. Which has been burnt by a conspiracy by the company. Earlier a large number of people used to sit here. But after the election dates were announced, we stopped sitting there, keeping in mind the code of conduct. Even after this, our protest site is being destroyed.”

Raising questions on setting fire, Kariyam says, “The tent at our protest site was set on fire at night when everyone was sleeping. Various apprehensions are being raised in the village regarding the burning of the protest site. Who can do such a thing in the dark of night? Why would anyone burn? The person who burnt it could be the one who has conspired to destroy Hasdev Aranya.”

“They can burn the protest site but cannot burn our thoughts”

Kariyam says, “Right now there is a code of conduct in place so we are calm. We will not violate the Constitution but the movement will intensify after the elections. They can burn our protest site but cannot burn our thoughts.”

“Instead of giving us justice, more oppression is being done to us”

He further explains his objective, “Our fight, our movement, our struggle is against administrative injustice, against the Adani company. A fake Gram Sabha resolution was passed by the administration to demolish the village. For investigation, requests have been made to everyone from the Ministry to the Patwari office and from the Governor to the SDM that our villages, water, forests and land should not be destroyed in an unconstitutional manner. But till date neither any investigation has been conducted by the government nor have we got justice. Rather, more atrocities are being committed against us day by day.”

Will die but will not give up the fight to save Hasdev

Kariyam says, “Burning the protest site is no less than murder. We will die but will not give up the fight to save Hasdev. It is difficult to get justice if there is an autocratic ruler. But fighting against injustice is the true religion. Truth is never defeated. Truth always wins. Our struggle will continue.”

“Photos of Baba Saheb Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi were also burnt”

He says, “We have been protesting for the last 10 years under our constitutional rights. We have been protesting peacefully for so many years and have never become violent. Even after this our protest site was burnt by the company. Especially the sitting area has been completely destroyed. Pictures of Baba Saheb Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi were also burnt, sound box was also burnt. We had kept about 10 kg of rice and pulses there and that too got burnt to ashes.”

After this incident, Ramlal Kariyam and some of his associates lodged a complaint at Udaipur police station. Kariyam told that the police is investigating the matter, they had also come to interrogate us. In this matter, Surguja SP Vijay Aggarwal told the media that “We have received a complaint in this matter. Investigation is being conducted by Surguja Police. The incident will also be investigated by forensic experts.”

Have been agitating for more than 750 days

Let us tell you that the movement to save Hasdev Aranya, which is called the lungs of Chhattisgarh, has been going on for more than 750 days. Apart from the people of the local tribal community, many people associated with the environment are also involved in this movement. According to reports, on the night of 21 December 2023, felling of trees was started in that part of Hasdev Aranya falling in Udaipur tehsil of Surguja district of Chhattisgarh, where the Parsa East Kete Basen Coal Project is proposed. During this period, the Pendramar forest of Ghat Barra village here was completely cut down.

Local people struggling to save the forest were either detained in advance or put under house arrest by the police. In this action that lasted for a week, more than 15,000 trees were cut. This is not the first time that such large-scale felling of trees has taken place in Hasdev Aranya. Even before this, in September 2022, more than 8000 trees were cut in 43 hectares of forest area.

Three coal mines in the Hasdev Aranya forest have been allotted to the Rajasthan government, which the tribals are opposing. The Rajasthan government has handed over the management and mining work of these three mines to the Adani Group. People here say that the cutting of trees in Hasdeo Aranya is being done to benefit Adani Enterprises Limited, which is in a joint venture with Rajasthan State Electricity Generation Corporation Limited for coal mining in Parsa East and Kete Basan coal blocks. 74 percent share has been given. The massive felling of trees and coal mining taking place in Hasdev is setting the stage for ecological destruction.