Other States - Rajasthan   

Adivasis relent; town peaceful

Special Correspondent

One case of violence reported from Kalyanpura, a village 11 km from the trouble spot

JAIPUR: Rishabdev town in Rajasthan remained incident-free on Friday after two troubled days in which police firing and mob violence by tribals protesting over the right to worship at the famous Rishabdev temple had resulted in the death of one Adivasi young man and injuries to many.

The only case of major violence was reported during the day from Kalyanpura, a village 11 km from Rishabdev, where school children protesting against the death of Ramlal allegedly in Thursday's police firing set fire to a few shops and went on the rampage. The 26-year-old Ramlal hailed from Delana village in the neighbourhood of Kalyanpura.

The Adivasi men who had clambered upon the barren hills overlooking the Rishabdev town, known for its god "Kesariyaji" and the green marble also branded after him, agreed to disperse as the people's representatives from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the opposition Congress held night-long talks in Bilakh village over the status of the temple, also worshipped by two different sects of Jains and the Hindu community.

"The situation is normal today. The Adivasis have returned to their villages after MPs and MLAs, sitting as well as former, joined together to hold discussions and find a solution. We have also made it clear that status quo would be maintained at the place of worship," said State Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria here.

The Army, which was alerted the previous day, was not deployed after finding a perceptible improvement in the situation. There was some panic as the local morning papers reported that the Army was deployed at night itself. "The Army was kept on alert. We did it as a precaution," Mr.Kataria explained.

"For the first time, politicians from both the BJP and the Congress sat together and helped to maintain peace," Mr. Kataria observed. Ministers Kanakmal Katara and Surendra Singh Rathore, Members of Parliament Kiran Maheshwari and Srichand Kripalani, former MPs Bhairulal Meena and Tara Chand Bhagora, and MLAs Raghuveer Meena, Nanalal Ahari and Arjunlal Meena, among others, joined the talks. The talks are continuing.

"We could persuade the people to return to the villages while we talked over a solution. During the day loudspeakers were used to announce that Adivasis could continue worship at the temple," said Raghuveer Meena, talking to this correspondent on phone from Rishabdev.

"Once the talks are over we will settle other aspects. The Sub-Committee of the Cabinet will look into the details of the claims of various groups," Mr. Kataria noted.

The next big task before the Government is cremation of the body of the victim, which lay in the Government Hospital at Udaipur till evening. Generally the Adivasi population of Rajasthan seeks "mothana" (compensation) for their kin who get killed.

"We will surely look into the compensation aspect. Now we have called the parents of the youth to Udaipur. Once post mortem is done we can decide on it," Mr. Kataria said.

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Adivasis relent; town peaceful

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