Adivasis, Hindutva and Post-Godhra Riots in Gujarat Author(s): Lancy Lobo Reviewed work(s): Source: Economic and Political

Weekly, Vol. 37, No. 48 (Nov. 30 - Dec. 6, 2002), pp. 4844-4849 Published by: Economic and Political Weekly Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4412907 . Accessed: 19/04/2012 13:16
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Adivasis, Hindutva and

Riots in

Post-Godhra Gujarat

Though Gujarat has a history of communalism,adivasis were the last to be communalised. This paper attempts to explore the participation of adivasis in the riots that followed the Godhra carnage. It highlights the fact that the character of riots in adivasi areas was differentfrom that in non-adivasi areas and attempts to reconstruct the developmentalcycle of communalisationof adivasis from late 1980s onwards. It links this communalisationwith the political economy of adivasis whose aspirations and problems are kept distorted and their attention diverted under the garb of religion and party politics.
LANCY LOBO Historically, the Bhils have had interac- of the imposition on adivasis for the tion with the Rajputs. There were small purchase of liquor from Parsee taverns Overview Adivasis of princely states of Bhils, at times consisting [Hardiman 1996]. of Gujarat of one village or more. The chiefs of these Two things have happened to adivasis he adivasis are spread in the eastern states marriedtheir daughtersto low rank- as a result of state action in the postdistricts of the state of Gujaratand ing Rajputs, who for a variety of reasons Independence period. First, Bhil physical this adivasi belt ranges from south- sought women from outside their caste. and social geography has been decimated ernRajasthanin the north,MadhyaPradesh One can thus speak of the Bhil-Rajput/ by the linguistic division of states. Some in the east and to Maharashtrain the'south. Kshatriya continuum just as Koli-Rajput Bhils are parcelled off to Rajasthan,some The adivasis of Gujarataccount for 15 per continuum. Besides, the Bhils were also to Gujaratand others to Madhya Pradesh. cent of the total population. They are employed in the militia of the Rajputkings. In Gujaratthey were 'Gujaratised'. IgnorEven some of the names such as Dungri ing their own languages and dialects the specially spread in the districts of Sabarkantha, Panchmahal, Vadodara, Garasia and Garasia Bhils suggest that the adivasis had to do their schooling in the Bharuch,Narmada,Surat,Navsari, Valsad Garasia prefix belongs to the Rajputs.The statelanguage.They were at a disadvantage and Dangs. 32 talukas of these districts state of Idar populated by adivasis for in speaking and writing in Gujarati with have an adivasi population of over fifty instance, was a Rajputstate. Thus all along the mainstream non-adivasis. They could the eastern adivasi belt one observes pres- easily be identified as adivasis from the per cent. The government has classified ence of Rajputs living alongside predomi- accents and pronunciation. Secondly, the them as adivasi talukas for the sake of nantly adivasi areas. Even in south Gujarat adivasis were Hinduised by the state. In developmental programmes. each of the decennial census the column About a hundredyears ago the adivasis one finds Rajput landowners called of Gujarat were called the Bhils of the 'Mahidas', eg, Valia taluka of Bharuch for religion was increasingly filled up as Hindu. For instance, Gamits were prefixed hills. Gujarathad two major substratumof district which is predominantly adivasi. The Bhils were not unfamiliar with as Hindu Gamits, Chaudhris as Hindu population known as Bhils and Kolis. The Kolis (OBCs) were 20 per cent of the assertion, protestandrevolts. In 1856 Bhils Chaudhris. Secondly, during admission to of Gujaratrevolted against the British. The schools this Hindu identity was reinforced population. The Kolis were known as the tribals of the plains. Kolis lived in the Bhils of Panchmahals led by GuruGovind in the school records. Different Hindusects rose against veth (free labour). In 1912 his have contributedto the Hinduisationof the plains while the Bhils lived in the hills. Even today Kolis in Kutch are classified blind challenge to British took the lives adivasis. The Bhagat or the Bhakti moveas adivasis. The Kolis largely claim to be of 3000 Bhils. Gandhi's freedom struggle ment and later a host of other movements too found an echo among the adivasis in quickenedthe process of Hinduisation. The Kshatriyashave named groups in different of Gujarat [Lobo 1995]. The Bardoli, Salt March, and Quit India move- upwardly mobile adivasis took to Hindu sub-regions Bhils too have been differentiated into ment of 1942. Kisan Sabha organised a sects faster than the others ([Lobo 1992]. The adivasis are now stratified on acnumerous (29) named tribes spread along rally of ten thousand adivasis to abolish the eastern belt of hilly Gujarat. Some of bonded labour ('hali pratha') among the count of the numerous interventions of the the major names are Gamit, Chaudhri, Dubla tribe of south Gujarat. In 1940, government, non-government agencies, Vasava, Kokna, Warli, and a few have 5,000 adivasis met and resolved to put an missionaries and adivasi organisations. retained the name of Bhil, eg, in Dangs, end to British rule at the Haripura Con- Divisions like 'Mota' (big) Chaudhrisand 'Nana' (small) Chaudhrisarefound among or use the suffix of Bhil like Dungri Bhil. gress meeting [Patel 2001:11-12]. Interaction with other non-adivasis the Chaudhris.There are Bhagats and nonMany of these tribes are endogamous. A few tribes like the Kotwalia, Kolgas, etc, viz Hindu, Muslim and Parsee traders, Bhagatswithin a tribe.Therearedifferences have been given the status of 'Primitive businessmen, and money-lenders has been of language among them. For instance, the Tribes'. PrimitiveTribes are the tribes who noted since the 19thcentury. Devi move- Vasavi Bhil language varied from one site are very backwardand get more assistance ment was a protest against the transfer of to another though having a contiguous land from adivasis to Parsees on account geographical space. There has been little from the state for their development.

rT

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horizontal solidarity within a tribe leave alone across tribes. Some efforts particularly during socio-religious movements have been made to establish horizontal solidarity among them.
Table 1: Incidents of Violence - March to May 2002 Date Incident March 2002 3 Arson in ruralBaroda. Chhotaudepur under curfew. 4 Mobattackon 4 peoplein Sanjaynagar, Warasia. Admitted Civilhospitalwith at burns. in People shiftedfromCentralGujarat BarodaRange especiallyfromSanjeli, and Fatehpura Randhikpur. 5 Tensionin Tejgadh,Chhotaudepur folclashesbetween lowing policeandtribals. Night Curfewin Dabhoi, Bodeli, Pavi and Jetpur, Tejgadh Chhotaudepur. Mob attack police convoy carrying Muslims fromChhotaudepur Baroda. to Oneconstableshot, 3 injured. TribalsfromTejgadh admitted in civil victims 'private of hospital, firing'. 6 in of Participation tribals rioting reported from Chhotaudepur, Tejgadh, Jabugam, BodeliandDabhoi. 7 in Army march Chhotaudepur. flag Clashes between police and tribalsin Kawant taluka. Panwad, 8 worth 8 crorewas Rs ByMarch property areas. damagedinBaroda and rural city 411 shops set on fire. In the city 175 47 vehicles damagedand 346 houses, and shops set afire.13 factories 4 hotels worthRs 7.5 crore damaged. Largest 32 casualty, people. Flares used in tribalbelt. One person in killed policefiring. 9 700 Muslimresidents leave Kosamba roadinTejgadh. 10 Violence erupts in Panwad village as tribals attackshops and houses. 1 killed and12 injured. a About dozenpolicemen injured. 11 Rumours tribals of Kawant. surrounding Additional police force, SRPF rush to Kawant to according DySP B LParmar. 8 Looting, houses set ablaze. 12 in Violence Panwad 45 village. shops are set afire.ARCH an Vahini, NGO,says it had repeatedly the Collector requested and DSP Keshav Kumar additional for forces. Collector 1 ordered company BSFtobe of sent to tribal belt. RAFwithdrawn from Kawant Baroda to Mahashivratri. to due 13 andarsoninandaround Looting Tejgadh andKawant. in Policefiring retaliation to tribalfiring. conductsflagmarch. Army Collector Jha Bhagyesh andDSPKeshav Kumar in attacked tribals Kawant. by 14 Tensionintribal of Gujarat. belt Policefire dispersemobsinKawant. to 14 in 1 Violence arrested, tribal injured firing. spreadsto Chhotaudepur afternoon. by -Curfewin Chhoteudepur, arrested. 20 Policerecoverlootedgoods. Hindu traders togetherto get guard against in attackers Kawant. 16 in march Chhottaudepur. Army flag 17 2 tribals killed policefiring Bodeli in in 20 Vadodara district police arrestarmyjawan, and schoolteacherfor Sarpanch primary in involvement violencein Panwad. 2002 April 14 Tensionin Panwadin Kawant taluka. Police action prevented violence in Panwad. 21 Tribal attackinChhotaudepur reported. 24 Violence continuesinChhotaudepur. on May 1, 02 Stone-pelting Muslim refugees when theygo backto Panwad.

Thecreamy the has layeramong adivasis beencaughtup in a veryambivalent position. They exclude themselvesfrom the adivasis wanttoinclude and themordinary selvesamongHindus atleastpassoff as or This creamylayer has benon-adivasis. comehighlyHinduised. layerhasalso This beenco-optedby thegovernment bureauforestofficials,police, cracy,contractors, politicians,and othernon-adivasivolunfoundtheirown taryorganisations. Having upward mobility theycarelittlefortherest of theirtribe. Non-adivasi valuesystemhas creptinto the adivasissuch as caste hieremulation ofnon-adivasi archy, puritanism, dress,entertainment, food, and individualism. Communitarian valuesaregiven a too in go by. Christianisation has brought somepositive othersnegative. and changes, Hold of uppercastes in GuJarat politics has been hardly shaken except during Madhavsinh Solanki'schief ministership whocameto powerrelyingon thenumerical dominanceof his Kshatriya community, along with Muslims, Dalits and Adivasis. His announcement further of reservationsundid his hold on Gujarat riots by upper politics. Anti-reservation castes undidhis reign.Gujarat politicsin the past reliedon caste politics and now with the resurgenceof Bharatiya Janata Partyincreasinglyon religiouspolitics.

of CommunalisationAdivasis
tribalareaswithoutinvolvingthe tribals. There townsintribal are areas whereHindu and Muslimtraderslive such as Virpur, Bardoli, Sanjeli, Randikpur,Modasa, and Khedbrahma, Lunawada, Meghraj so on. For instance,in Virpurin 1987 riots betweenHindus Muslims and havebeendocumentedby Ahmedabad (1987). Such Ekta riotshavegivenademonstration adivasis to as to how riots can be conducted.But communal involving riots adivasis directly is a recentphenomenon datingto 1990. First Communal Disturbances Involving Adivasis (in 1990) Communal conflictswerefirstrecorded in Dediapadca Sagbaraof Bharuch and Districtsin 1990 as a result of Hindutvisation [Lobo 1990]. Hindutvisation is slightly a different process than Hinduisation. Hindutvisation adivasis of began in late 1980s. Till then there was Hinduisation which was a natural, spontaneous of process,anoutcome interaction betweentheadvasisandtheHindu traders, and laterthroughthe Hindusects.
Hindu-Muslim riots have taken place in

II

Hindutvisation of the adivasis was This was a begunby the Sangh Parivar. surplannedprocess.The SanghParivar veyed, selected and targeted villages, its localpeopleand planted men,recruited beganitsanti-missionary campaigns. They also built their institutionsfor children. With a view to speedy Hindutvaisation 'ramshilatheyusedAdvani's'rathyatra', pujan' and collection of bricks from adivasis fortheconstruction Ramtemple of in Ayodhya. TheHindutvisation in process Dediapada andSagbara initiated the following was in manner. Eventssuch as 'Ramshilapujan', mini'rathyatras', and Ramjyoth 'karseva' werespacedovera yearanda halfin these areas. A collection of rupees 1.25 per householdwas madefrom villages along thehighway."Ifyoudo notcontribute you that womb!" prove youarefromtheMuslim Provocative speechesweremadeen route of themini-rathyatras. of Organisers these In yatraswere non-tribals. Devmograa a centre foradivasis, Muslim pilgrim dargah was vandalised.Following the kar seva event, a BharatBandhcall was given on October24, 1990 andits echoes werefelt in adivasiarea, with trees being cut and placed as road blocks. Harassmentof passers-bywas also indulgedin. In Novemberof the same year some villages were singled out and Muslim traders shopkeepers and were told to quit thevillage.TheMuslimssenttheirwomen and children to a big village called Akkalkuva wheretherewas a largepopulationof Muslims.Subsequently house a ortwoeachof Muslims nearly15villages in of Sagbaratalukawere destroyed. The sittingMLAof the areawas a BJP man.Persons whogalvanised theseevents were membersof BSS, VHP, and RSS. BSS has been operatingsince six years from its headquarters Dediapadasupin posedly to counterthe activities of the missionaries. The complicity of the Mamlatdar police was well-known. and The fall-outof the disturbances that was theadivasistastedthatlootwasrewarding, andanti-normative behaviour asstopsuch ping the passingvehicles, breakingtheir windscreens was giving them a sense of our strength)".
power. "Ame shakti Batavi (We showed

Atrocities on Adivasi Christians in South Gujarat 1997-1999 Then during 1997-1999 the Sangh Parivar atrocities relentlesslyperpetrated on adivasiChristians SouthGujarat. of A list of these atrocities,such as burning of churches, halls, beatingupadivasi prayer

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forcible purificaChristians, performing tion('shuddhikaran') and ceremony other formsof harassments, aredocumented etc, [Lobo 2002:182 ff]. Of the 51 instances of atrocities, took place in the Dangs,. 41 nine in Suratand one in Valsaddistricts of southGujarat. 41 atrocities Dangs, Of in 24 were to do with burningof churches andprayer halls,eight with beatings,and four of variouskinds of harassment. Of nineinstances Suratdistrictfourhadto in do withburning churches,two with beatings andthreewithotherformsof harassments.When adivasi Christians were in intense anguish there came the prime minister Indiato Dangs,not to console of thevictimsof atrocities to scorea point but for the Sangh Parivarsaying a national debate on conversionswas the need of the hour. In a relativelypeaceful south Gujarat adivasi area these atrocities shook the
people. They said, "Baharthi loko aveene dhamal kare chhe, ame to shantithi raheta

hata" (outsidershave come and created disturbances wewerelivinginpeace). when It mustbe notedthattheseatrocities were activitiesof Sangh preceded thecertain by in Parivar the adivasi areas. The Parivar began by propagating Hindutva variousexistingHindu through sects in the area. SwadhyayParivartoo with Sangh Parivar.Sangh sympathised Parivarestablished branches theBajrang of Dal (BD) and Vishwa Hindu Parishad were madeto visit each (VHP).Attempts adivasis village and make non-Christian members the BD. Deekshawas given of topersonsjoining BD inwhich'trishuls' the (tridents) and saffron headbandswere Post-Godhra Riots distributed. Non-Christian sarpanchsof the villages were made members of Thepost-Godhra hadanecho in the riots Hindutva organisations. Economically adivasi belt of northeasternGujarat. A better-off of chronology events(February of personsweremademembers 27-May5. outfits.Unemployed fromthe headlines from SanghParivar youth 2002) is gathered of villages were enrolled as members. the Times of India and Indian Express in areas.Itshowsthatit tooka few days SanghParivar publishedand widely dis- tribal tributeda calendardepictingthe Hindu for things to flare up in tribal areas. It Idols of Hindugods and shows that the rioting limited itself to god Hanuman. goddessesweredistributed theBD and arson and loot and not so much rapes, by VHP duringNavaratri Ganapati and fes- murders burning or peoplealiveas in other tivals. Financialhelp also given. Dangs partsof Gujarat. non-tribal In areasboth alonesawconstruction 41 Hindu of shrines aspectsof a community,viz, production were madethe targetof duringthe last threeyearsmost of which andreproduction werededicated Hanuman. to whileintribal areas SanghParivar attack onlytheformer, distributedanti-Christian to pamphlets.It ie, economicinterests.Devy referring spread anti-Christiancharade through Baroda district tribals concludes, "the newspapers. It showed open hostility tribalsweremadeto fighta proxywaron afterinstalment BJP behalfof thebaniyas" of againstChristians (2002:41).Butthen Anti-Christian were Hindutvaisation also contributed has to government. meetings organised.Personalconflicts in the vil- create a mind-setthat Muslims are disinto lageswereconverted Hindu-Christian pensable.The tribalin many ways feels communal conflictsby these outfits.Pro- closer to Hindustoday thanto Muslims. vocative meetings of the Hindus were After its successfulexperiment crein

held on the days of Christianfestivals. Hindus were persuadedto vote for the Janata Bharatiya Party(BJP)duringelections [Lobo 1999]. Congress Partyhada stronghold among the adivasisfor decades.Underthe Conhaveexperienced further gresstheadivasis And marginalisation. this space was exploitedby theBJPto get a footholdamong adivasis. Hindutva moblisation of the tribalsin late 1980s throughmodes and meansexplained earlierandthe atrocities on adivasiChristians helpedBJP wresta few seatsin adivasisareas southGujarat of in the elections of 1997. The Hindutvavadis succeededin forgand ing unitybetweentheujaliat pachchat categoriesin Gujarat particularly co-optmobileadivasistratum. ing the upwardly recruited four Besides,the SanghParivar educated unemployedyouth from each and village. They were given training an honorarium rupees permonth. of 250 Their about jobsinvolvedcollectinginformation their own village and passing it to the centres.Generally.20vilSangh Parivar lages constituteda centre. Information collected included, names of opinion makersin the village, leaders,Christians andnon-Christian of adivasis,movements the missionary the village,factionsand in quarrelsin the village and so on. For the instance, Dangdistrict beingsmallwas divided into four centres: Subir in the north,Ahwa in the south,Waghaiin the east andNarkadi the west. Eachcentre in was headed by leadersknown for their notorietyin the area.

atinga divide betweentribalsand Christiansin partsof southGujarat, saffron the brigadewas engaged in doing the same withtheadivasis Muslims theadivasi and in belt of Vadodara,Panchmahals, Dahod andSabarkantha politicalgains.These for areasof thestate,whichhaduntilrecently remained devoidof any majorcommunal tensionsuddenly seemto havebeencaught in aninferno. Adivasismovedaround with bowsandarrows bill hooks('dharias') and on the streets.People went on a looting spreeof houses,shopsandvehicles moving in the area.They went screamingin to largenumbers loot a premiseand then set it on fire. Having accomplishedthis missionthey would disappear the surin forestsor fields. Treeswerecut rounding andplacedas roadblockson theroad.The intentionin most cases seemed to have been that of looting. One could see a nefarious design behind this unusual of phenomenon tribalsattackingthe miin members thispartof noritycommunity the state. That a free hand was given to the armedtribalmobs indulgingin arson and looting in the very presenceof the policelendscredenceto the beliefthatthe present saffron dispensationin Gujarat had launcheda well plannedoperation. Violenceerupted the areasalong the in north-eastern border of the state Sabarkantha, Panchmahals,Dahod and a Chhotaudepurfull weekaftertheGodhra Carnage. The mob struck at Kawant, and Panwad, adjoining villagesandmoved on to Chhotaudepur and so on. There seemedto havebeena well planned strategy engineered some tribalgroupsfor by attacking villages.They movedfromone village to another seeminglyin a systematicmanner thengathered townsfor and in arson and loot. The adivasiswere incitedby outsiders. It is saidthatliquorwas freelydistributed among the adivasis and in an inebriated and receptive state of mind they were warnedof an impendingattackby Muslims to avenge the attackon theirfellow religionists. The miscreantsalso highlighted the adverse economic prospects they would face once the Muslims returned.These briefings point to a well plannedstrategy.The economic factors which have been the root of violence in the recent riots. This led to a spree of looting and rioting in the tribal belt. to According activistDevy (2002) "tribals are socially vulnerableand while they wouldnotbe bothered'much Hinduism by and Islam, liquor would play a role in inciting them to violence."In the tribal areaspfPanchmahal Sabarkantha, and there has been a historyof economicexploita-

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tion betweenBohraMuslim tradersand tribalpeople.This has been exploitedby the Hindutva who gave it a combrigade, munal colour.Inmanyplacestribal people hadbeeninstigated loot.TheBhilpeople to in this areaareextremelypoor.This district has suffereddroughtconditions. Thepoliticians Hindutvavadis and with thecomplicity government of bureaucracy carriedout the entireoperationof using adivasisto loot and arson.Thoughthere was criminality amongthe Rathwasthey hadnotdared comeintoconflictoutside to their tribe. In each village the political the restson leadership, including sarpanch the shouldersof relativelyyoung people whoareco-optedby politicians easily and controlled them.Forinstance,loot and by arsonagainst Muslimswereexperimented atvillagelevelandwhentheytasted success the adivasiswere encouraged come to to towncentreslike Kawant, Panwad so and on in large-numbers. Muslimswere The as beingprojected exploitersof adivasis. Secondly,the adivasiswere given assurancesthatthe BJPgovernment wouldsee to it thatno harmwouldever visit them. The complicityof the police andtaluka officials is apparent fromthe reportfiled by Rajesh Mishra (2002) of the Arch with to Vahini, Mangrol reference Kawant, Panvad and Chhotaudepurareas. No amountof appealsfor police protection made Muslims leading and NGOswould by move the authorities.Either the police to werefaroutnumbered theypreferred or looktheotherway.Now theadivasishave becomeinitiated launchout intopublic to space for crime with certainconfidence. The Sangh Parivarhas systematically workedamong the exploited tribes and
Damages to Vehicles Residence Incomegeneratingpremises Hindureligiousplaces Muslim, religiousplaces

mobilisedthem for participating comin munalriotsin anoverarching manner. But at local levels many other contributory factorshave played their partin adding fuel to the fire,suchas factions,conflicts, economicrivalry, clashes,litigaproperty tions, privaterevenge and so on. There has againthe SanghParivar cleverlyused The suchfactorsto theiradvantage. postGodhra riotsseem to indicatea pattern in the the against Muslim pitting localgroups -the Vaghri casteinViramgam, Wankar the caste (dalit) in Gomtipur(Ahmedabad), and the adivasisin the adivasibelt. The Muslims were projectedas the demons for responsible theirwoes. The end result of this strategyhas been the neareliminationof theMuslimsin certain areasand of Vaghris, Dalits and imprisonment adivasiscaughtin the act of rioting. Vernacular Media Reporting of Riots in Adivasi Areas A content analysis of two vernacular for dailiesis undertaken MarchandApril 2002. Lookingat the reported figuresfor a periodof two monthsafterthe Godhra incident,it was foundthatGujarat Today had (adailypublished Muslims) covered by to theriotincidents extensivelycompared
Gujarat Samachar (Hindutva-biased daily). Gujarat Samachar reported just

Ill Rehabilitation Muslims of in Adivasi Areas

Relief campshaveemergedas the only. shelter for the thousandswho escaped death.However,the journeyboth to and outof thecampswas verydifficultfor the riotaffectedpeople.Inrural many Gujarat peoplefled theirhomesandhidin thehills andjunglesfordayswithoutfood orwater beforebeing rescuedby the police. Muslim charities,pooling contribution from within the communityhad set up these nor camps.Neitherthe government non(NGOs) had governmental organisations taken such an initiative.The morsels of reliefthatthegovernment handed were out alsodelayed. collector's The officesstarted to supplying provisions thecamponeweek after the violence began. Muslim charities,which always managed to mobilise resourcesduringriots, were findingit difficultto do so this time as even the middle class Muslims were destroyed economically. The refugees themselves about whentheycould worried get backto theirnormallives. Manylost theirbreadwinners, honies,andtheyhave lostalltheirbelongings. traders The among them have lost theirshops, and vehicles, andthefarmers about amongthemworried the land that is readyfor being grabbed in thevillages.Inmanyplacestherefugees /victims were told thatthey wouldnot be housesunless allowedtocomebacktotheir the discontinue theyshaveoff theirbeards, 'azaan' and promise that they will not insist on the religious customs that the Hindusfind annoying.In some places it was madeclearto therefugeesthatif they wished to go back they would have to. forswearany trade that would hurt the of In interests theHindu competitors. some placesobscenesloganshadbeenscribbled onthewallsofidgahs,dargahs masjids and which escaped demolition. In the districtof Sabarkantha of the one worst riot-hitruraldistrictsthe refugees from 12 talukasamountedto 2,257. The Aman WelfareTrustrun by the Memon has Muslimsin Idartown of Sabarkantha conducteda survey of the riot affected villages in and aroundthe Idartaluka.It carriesa list of affected householdsby villages, specifying if house or shop or both have been.destroyed, estimates and of the damages. It also specifies the government compensationprovided for or house/shop both.Table3 gives thetotal figures. Threehundred twentyfive houseand holdswereseverelyaffectedin 91 villages in and aroundIdar taluka.Of these 91

half of the total numberof the incidents had (CCD,2002). Gujarat Today reported.
Gujarat Samachar reported just about

halfthetotalnumber incidents of reported by Gujarat Todayas is shownin Table2a. One can possibly place greatercredance on the victims'sversionin Gujarat Today
than on Gujarat Samachar
Samachar Gujarat 5 77 59 2 7

Table 2a: Damages as Reported by Gujarat Today and Gujarat Samachar Gujarat Today 20 282 236 1 44

Table 2b: Number of Deaths, Injured and Missing Gujarat Today Deaths Injured Missing No of affectedvillages 41 78 6 168 Samachar Gujarat 51 115 1 73 Given to the Memon Muslims

Table 3: Distribution of Total Loss and Compensation of Idar Taluka (in Rupees) Total Losses No Houses Villages Households No Shops 91 325 281 2,75,29,750 216 13,05,01,126 Source:AmanWelfareTrust,July25, 2002.

No 127

Govemment help Houses No Shops 7,90,850 31 2,62,500

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villages56 arefromthe Idartalukaalone. shows the scars of recent trauma.They are The 281 houses suffereda loss of 2.75 claimthattheadivasis notto be blamed croreof rupeeswhile the 216 shops lost but it is the work of politicians and In to 13crore,amounting a totalof 16crores. Hindutvavadis. fact the adivasisvouch weremorekind the However government receivedtill thatBohraMuslimtraders help July 25, 2002 was a mereeight lakhsfor and lenientto themthanthe Baniyatrad127housesand26 lakhsfor31 shops.This ers. However, one must question how worksoutto be a paltry0.6 percentof the Bohrashave been allowed to returnand total estimateddamagessufferedby the not otherMuslimsin some otherpartsof victims.Evenif the figuresarebloatedby tribal areas. What kind of negotiations the victimsone can imaginethe pittance have takenplace betweenSanghParivar they have receivedfrom the government and Bohras?Bohrasclaim that they are fromtheotherMuslims.Butthis even afterfive monthsto put their lives different is difference notalwaysseenandrespected together. For be of is There ghettoisation Muslimstaking by others theyMuslimsnorHindus. that placeafterthe riots.It is reported the instance,in the 1992 post-BabriMasjid made Bohras weresingularly Memons have bought aroundfour hun- riotsin Surat dredacresof landnearthe talukasof Idar the targetof attack.It puts the Bohrasin situation. build- a peculiar wheretheyintend andHimmatnagar Theywantto exclude Theyintendcontinu- themselvesfrom Muslims, while Hindu ing theirresidences. wantto includethem.Afterthe ing their shops in their original sites. extremists riots Thereforethey will have one foot for Surat theMuslims gaveadigatBohras, fromus"? business purpose in one location and "Nowyou see areyou different There has been relative silence and a another for residential purposes in a facedby the secularghettoisedlocality. This is a strategyto kindof helplessness loss lives disregarding of prop- ists, opposition party (Congress), nonsafeguard erty and income generatingmeans.This Hindutvaorganisations,Gandhiansand is one way of negotiatinganxiety or in- otherNGOsin theface of the recentriots. families Many have questionedthe existence of securityin futureriotsregarding civil society in Gujarat. viz, women and children. Why has Gujarat one This ghettoisation, must note, had succumbedto fascism so easily? More in taken place in urbanareas of Gujarat. enquiryneeds to be undertaken this or domain. is Ahmedabad a clearcase of polarised ghettoisedHindusand Muslims.For inthe stance, oldcityononesideof Sabarmati Impact of Riots on Adivasis Muslimpopulariverhas predominantly tion andon the otherside Hindupopulaof Theimpact theseriotson theadivasis tion. Some well-to do Muslims had has been very damaging.Few adivasis ventured Hinduareasbut in the last have been killed and many have been into few riots they had to distress-selltheir bookedas criminals sentto jail. They and for housesandlookforMuslimpockets.Thus havedeveloped kindof disregard the a beyondthe Hinduareasone finds again state machinery.The newspapershave Vasna carried a Muslimghetto eg, in Juhapura, of headlines theiractivitiesduring that etc. Ghettoisation had takenplace in riots.Hencesomeof themareeven enjoythe urbanareas is now taking place in inga falsesenseof importance. Theirthirst someruralareastoo. Muslimshave little for violenceandrevengehasbeenignited. chanceto act otherwiseas manyof them Theiremotiveattachment Hindutva to has arenot welcometo theiroriginalvillages. willy-nillyincreased the adivasiidenand The Newspapershave consistently reported tity hastakena beating. adivasishave of thatthe knownvictimisers Muslimsin lost to some extent the sympathiesand on the villages have put pressure themto paternalistic of benevolence theMuslims. withdraw FIRs filed againstthem as Seriousfearshavebeenexpressed by the that a pre-conditionfor their return.Many eliminationof the Muslim tradersand Muslimhomes,shopsandotherproperties money lendersthe adivasismay have to have been taken over by anti-social face greaterexploitationat the handsof elements. the Hindu traders.On the reverse, the But the scenarioin Barodadistrictis adivasishaveexperienced whata riotcan slightly different. There is no sign of bringthem:loot, goodies, and a sense of ghettoisationamong the predominantly falsepower.Theyhavetastedbloodin the BohraMuslimsof Panwad,Kawantand recent riots. Will they spare the Hindu Most Chhotaudepur. of themhavereverted tradersonce they have finishedoff with Tribals are the Muslimones? And they actuallydid to their houses-cum-shops. these shops as if nothinghas not. After looting the BohraMuslimsof frequenting The on happened. Bohrabody languagestill Kawantthey begangathering the hills

with the intentionof looting the Hindu traders(see chronologyof events as on March14).Butthenpolicewerecalledand a prompt responseandfiringby thepolice dispersedthe adivasi mobs. Anotherimpactof recentriots in tribal areasis that the politicalnexus that was forged among dalits, adivasis, Muslims The has andKshatriyas suffered adversely. to wrongs against abilityof adivasis protest and assertthemselvesat the righttargets has The Sanghparivar has been numbed. also takenthis as a long termstrategyto ruin the chances of the CongressParty. During MadhavsinhSolanki's time the Adivasiand KHAM(Kshatriya, Harijan, Muslim)theorywassuccessfulinbringing the partyto power.These bondsbetween Muslimson the one hand, and Harijans havebeenblown andAdivasisontheother, to bits in theseriots.Muslimvictimssimand how plycouldnotunderstand Harijans adivasis could indulge in such mindless who violenceagainst them.ManyMuslims riots havestoodbythesideof Dalitsduring now feel let downand andotheratrocities alienated. downthethroats thrust Hindutva has-been that of adivasisandit appears manyhave incident swallowedit. TheRamshilapujan earlierwhenRs 1.25 perbrick mentioned be waspaidandlettingHindushrines built are on tribal areas, and 'shuddhikaran' examples.One maymentionherethe disturned anthrocoursebetweenmissionary Elwin and the Gandhian pologist Verrier A V Thakkar (popularly known as with referenceto adivasi Thakkarbapa) into assimilation integration themainand was stream[Guha1996:2380ffl. Thakkar in favourof assimilation.The Hindutva that brigadehas appropriated agendaand vision for to realiseThakkar's attempted the adivasisin its own way. Communalisation of tribalsis one of the fall-outsof this trajectory. needsalso to question One or if religionbe it Hindu,Christian, Islam could resolve the problemof adivasis? a FiveyearsagoI wasboarding busfrom Kawantto Surat.The non-adivasiswere enteringthe bus from the door and the adivasis from side windows with their bundlesof fuel andclothes.This was the me It unwritten in Kawant. struck hard law or hownon-adivasis theyMuslim Hindu be traders,who come to adivasi areas for businessandtrade,treatthe adivasiswith The disgustandcontempt. busconductor's behaviour towardsthe adivasiswas as if they were some beingscloser to animals. No wonderHindutvavadis preferto call adivasisas vanvasis(thosewho live in the thereby implyingthatthey jungleperhaps arejunglies).

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IV Conclusion
Verrier Elwin had suggested in his a bias autobiographytribal indevelopmental activities, theirway Thatwe recognise honour and of doingthings,notbecauseit is old and picturesquebut because it is theirs, andtheyhaveas muchrightto theirown cultureand religionas anyoneelse in India. meansthat we must talk their It and that language, notonlythe language is expressed wordsbutthedeeperlanin Irmeansthatwe will guageof theheart. ashamed theirpast of notmakethetribes or forcea sudden breakwith it, butthat we will help to builduponit and grow of [Elwin process evolution" by a natural
1964: 245].

Notonlyhasthisbiasfailedto creepinto but activities adivasishave developmental lost theirlife supporting system to nonadivasis. Adivasis in Gujarathave lost due landsto non-adivasis to dams. Most of Gujarat'smajor dams - Madhuban, Karzan inadivasi are Ukai,Sardar Sarovar, areas. senior One adivasileader said,"with non-adivasis industrialisation thegrowing are moving into occupy adivasi land. In thelastdecade,injust two blocksof Surat district 40,000 acresof landhavechanged hands" [Setu 1999:11].Mostof the forest is cover of Gujarat in adivasiareas.Dedue industries, forestation, to forest-based is mining and agro-industries depriving of these communities the meansof livelihood and also cash income. Industries skilled in theadivasiareasatbestgenerate forwhichthe adivasisdo not employment to qualify.Nearly60,000 adivasismigrate in between Baroda searchof employment and October March[Devy 2002:39].Perhaps more than this numbermigrateto Suratfrom adjoiningtribalareas.Tribal areashavebecomecheaplabourcolonies forthe non-tribals the plainsandcities. of Thustheproblems adivasis related of are to 'Jal' (water), 'jungle' (forests) and The theirresour(land). transferof 'jameen' ces to non-tribalareas is the question. Religionis not theirproblem.Insteadof issuesof politicaleconomythe addressing and SanghParivar BJPwhose social base is amongupper castesandmiddleclasses divert the attentionof adivasis to misguided targetslike Muslims and Christians. Commentingon the recent riot Ahmed (2002: 1873) notes, "Extensive of for mobilisation tribals thesakeof violenceagainst Muslim livesandproperties is new whichdistinguishes yetanother feature the present fromthe 1969 case." one Hitler's consolidation of power was marked breaking WeimarConstithe by

tutionbit by bit. InIndiatoo we see BJP's of consolidation power by attackingand and breakingthe Constituion wantingto Hindutva leaderscan changeit. Extremist utter things against the Constitution, Supremecourt, Presidency, Election and and Commission minorities get away withit. Theyarenotchallenged. How and who is going to stopthemfromdoingso? The politicsof Gujarat have been long Baniasand Brahcontrolledby Patidars, minscalledthe uppercastes,or 'ujaliats', who are less than20 per cent of the total The population. restconsistsof backward 'pachhat'viz, dalits, and adivasis,Muslims and others.The formerhave never allowed the latterto enjoy the fruits of They politicalpowerexceptsymbolically. have not only blocked the reservation benefitsbut also conductedanti-reservation stirs againstthe dalits and adivasis. In 1985 for the first time the backward castes underKHAMwere mobilisedand enjoyedpoliticalpowerfor a shortperiod but got dislodgedunderthe tacticalpressures strategically exerted by the upper castes[Patel 2001].TheBJP(anupper caste party)withits religiouscardbegantaking underits wings the 'pachhat'. They have succeeded in directingthe anger of the lowersocialstratum awayfroma dysfunctional state machineryto Muslims and in Christians the last ten years.The communalisationprovokedby Hindutvain adivasi areashas a fascistic orientation. Coming elections are crucial. BJP is as desperate they havelost powerin most stateswhere elections wereheld.TheBJP's is it centralleadership puttingeverything for has in Gujarat the coming elections. Narendra Modiis usingeveryvile trickup his sleeve to ensureBJP'ssuccess.He has to (helpers) locallevel appointed 'sahayaks' to bureaucracy actually mobigovernment lise people for BJP in the next elections. of Thousands local'gram of mitras' (friends by village)havebeenappointed the Modi at government the cost of stateto moblise villagers for BJP. The Sangh Parivaris educated unemployed youthsat recruiting village level especiallyin tribalareasto aboutthe village. gatherinformation Shankersinh Vaghela, the newly (an appointed pradesh Congress president ex-RSS man) is perhapsthe best answer to thechallengesposedby BJP,Modiand his cohorts.But then Congresshas kept the tribalsin povertyfor forty years and has hatred latelyBJP(Hindutva) introduced them. One cannotbut agree with among Devy (2002:47) that povertyand hatred are a deadly mixture directed towards perceived enemies, the Muslims and win Christians. theCongress backthe Can

vote bank of adivasis? Can it undo to some extent the damage done to the relationshipbetween adivasis and Muslims? Shankersinh being a Kshatriya may perhaps take advantage of the BhilKshatriya continuum. Addressfor correspondence: ccd@wilnetonline.net
[I thank J S Bandhukwalaand PriyavadanPatel for their comments on an earlier draft of this article.]

References
Violence: Meaning Ahmad,Riaz (2002): 'Gujarat and Implications', Economic and Political Weekly,May 18. AIDWA report(2002): Ahmedabad:Concerned Citizens Tribunal, Gujarat. Bhalabhai(2002): 'Panchmahal' Communalism in Combat, March-April,pp 45-54. Centre for Culture, and Development (2002): Spatial Spread Patternsof Communal Riots in Gujarat:A Temporal Analysis (project in progress). Devy, Ganesh(2002): 'TribalVoice andViolence' in Seminar 513, May, pp 39-48. Ekta Ahmedabad (2002): 'Komi Ramkhangrast Jat Mulakat Mahitino Aheval',pp2-9. Virpurhi Elwin, Verrier(1964):TheTribalWorldof Verrier Elwin, An Autobiography,Oxford University Press, Delhi. Guha, Ramachandra (1996): 'Savaging the Civilised, Verrier Elwin and the Tribal Questionin theLateColonialIndia',Economic and Political Weekly,Vol XXXI, Nos 35,36 and 37, pp 2375-2389. Lobo, Lancy (1990): 'CommunalRiots in Tribal Dediapada and Sagbara during OctoberNovember 1990: A Report',Centrefor Social Studies, Surat. - (1999): 'Atrocitieson TribalChristians South of Gujarat', Centre for Social Studies, Surat, (Mimeo). R Mishra, (2002): 'EyeWitnessAccountof Looting and Burning in Kawant', Arch Vahini, Mangrol. NHRC Report (2002): Concerned Citizens Tribunal, Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Patel, Priyavadan (2001): 'Politics and Mobilisationof the Lower Classes' (mimeo). Chaudhri Ashok and Rameshchandra Parmar (1998): 'At theTurnof theCentury'inSeminar 470, October, pp 63-68. PUDR (2002): 'Maaro! Kaapo! Baalo! (State, in Society, andCommunalism Gujarat)", May, Delhi. Setu (1999): 'The New Economic Policy and Adivasi Communities in India with Special Reference to Gujarat and Maharashtra'in Development, Equity and Justice, April 6-9, pp 10-11, MinorityRights Group,New Delhi. Sindhi,Arjubehn Ayubbhai(2002): 'Sabarkantha' in Communalism Combat, March-April, pp 55-56. Shah, Ghanshyam (1998): 'Polarised Communities' in Seminar470, October,pp 30-35. Summary of incidents in Baroda (2002): Concerned Citizens Tribunal Gujarat. Yagnik, Achyut (2002): 'Whither Gujarat? Violence and After', Economicand Political Weekly, March 16.

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