Birbaha’s nomination splits Jhargram tribals

Jhargram: Trinamool Congress’ decision to pitch a 48-year-old school principal in the Lok Sabha polls has split West Bengal’s tribal hinterland.
The reason: Birbaha, a tribal post-graduate woman, is married to Rabin Tudu, the Baba (spiritual head) of Jhargram, West and East Midnapore districts, who is expected to stay away from politics. Detractors say Birbaha’s candidature makes Tudu’s role as Baba tenuous and he should resign.But Tudu says his wife is an independent and educated woman, free to make her own decisions.
The supreme body — Bharat Jakat Majhi Pargana Mahal — will meet on March 21 to decide whether to back Birbaha and therefore decide whether a married woman can chart her own future or should be in her husband’s shadow.
Over the weekend, the detractors led by Shib Shankar Soren, a doctor, had convened a meeting of tribal leaders of eight blocks in Jhargram and resolved that Tudu should resign as Baba. “Jakat is a socio-religious organisation and has always steered away from politics. By deciding to pitch his wife, that too on a TMC ticket, he has violated all rules,” Soren said. “We will not let politics muddle our organisation. So, chiefs of eight blocks (in Jhargram) have decided to expel him.”
Tudu disagrees. “She may be my wife but the decision to contest is her own. She is an independent woman. It was decided that the Jakat office-bearers would stay away from political posts. But if my wife feels strongly about doing politics, who am I to stop her?” he said. “She will have my unflinching support in whatever she does. Moreover, I can be removed only by the Jakat state elders, not by block-level chiefs. I have 32 blocks under me, why should I heed a decision made by only eight block chiefs?”
For the moment, Tudu has the backing of tribal ch-iefs. Nityananda Hembram, disom pargana and an IIT Kharagpur graduate, said: “The chief minister (Mamata Banerjee) had discussed the issue with us. We had told her none of the Jakat office-bearers can hold a political post. She chose Birbaha, who is not an office-bearer and is within her rights to contest. She will have our blessings. State and national chiefs have taken no decision to remove Rabin.”