Mamata sets the tone and tune at Malda mass marriage of tribals

GAZOLE (MALDA): Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee danced to folk tunes alongside Adivasi women at a mass marriage ceremony for poor tribals in Malda’s Gazole on Thursday. Malda Police had organised the ceremony following Sarna rituals as part of its community connect programme.
A similar effort by Vishwa Hindu Parishad on February 11 was foiled by a section of tribals, who denounced it as “Hinduisation of tribals”.Reacting to the “conversion”, the CM had then ordered a police crackdown on culprits and two organisers of the VHP-organised ceremony were arrested.
Jharkhand Dishom Party (JDP) members opposed both on the ground that Adivasi culture didn’t permit mass marriage.
However, the religious debate didn’t affect Ganesh Kisku and Bharati Murmu, who got officially married on Thursday. The couple has been living together for four years. “We couldn’t afford the marriage ceremony. Didi made our dream come true,” said Ganesh, a marginal farmer. The state government gave Rs 25,000 to each of the 300 couples under the Rupashree scheme during the ceremony.
“We have introduced the Jai Johar pension scheme for Adivasis. Now, we have taken up the mass marriage programme for tribal couples who could not afford the celebration,” the CM said. The state government will make similar efforts in Alipurduar and among Adivasis in north Bengal, Banerjee said.
The CM has been stressing the cause of Scheduled Castes, Dalits and Adivasis during her recent tour to districts in north Bengal. The Bengal government has taken up a host of schemes for the communities in the state Budget. “We won’t allow takeover of Adivasi land. We have a law in place. This apart, we are setting up a hostel for tribal students at Chanchal and two modern bus terminals at Bulbulchandi and Gazole,” the CM said.
“The CM has been claiming that Adivasis belong to Sarna religion. This is not a factual statement. Many Adivasis are Hindus. The CM is trying to drive a wedge among Adivasis,” said BJP state general secretary Sayantan Basu.
Political observers saw Banerjee’s upholding the Adivasi cause as part of the numbers game. They pointed to the results of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in which Trinamool suffered major reverses in seats reserved for SC/ST constituencies mainly in north Bengal and Jangalmahal. Banerjee has been trying to win over the SC/STs, Dalits and Adivasis when large sections of Rajbanshis, Matuas and Adivasis have switched to BJP.
On Thursday, JDP members agitated against the state-sponsored mass marriage 3km from the wedding spot at Gazole. Police detained JDP state leader Mohon Hansda and his followers.
District JDP leader Biswanath Tudu said: “We never accept such mass marriage as it is against tribal culture. When we protested such an arrangement by VHP, the state government supported us. Now, they are holding the same,” Tudu said, adding that the Bengal government is yet to recognise the Adivasi language. Trinamool Adivasi cell president Chuniya Murmu refuted the claim, saying that the government has recognised Alchiki language.