470 tribal couples tie the knot, some with kid in tow....

One-year-old Priyanka cuddles in the arms of her mother who is decked up in the bridal attire. Her father, the groom, is sitting on a plastic chair placed in the opposite row. Priyanka’s parents Ramji and Sanji Mohankar, tribals from Dahanu, are all set to marry. The couple never had money to get married, so they arrived at the mass wedding ceremony at Dahanu on Friday to solemnise their relationship. The ceremony was jointly organised by Shramajivi Sanghatna, Bhaiyuji Maharaj and the Tribal Development department of the state government. The response to the mass wedding event was quite overwhelming as 470 couples turned up to tie the knot.    more...

With a Demand of District Bifurcation Tribals March on Thane Collector Office

Date: 20th Nov 2008, Thane.

''This March of lakhs of tribals on Collector Office will just be a Jhanki. If state government does not bifurcate the district without delay amongst our other demands we will show our strength in Mumbai and be sure we will shake the throne'', warned Mrs. Vidyullata Pandit, President of Shramjeevi Sanghatana, yesterday on the eve of the march on the Collector Office at Thane. She further said that, to ensure our rights we are left with no alternative but to show our collective strength.
Almost 1 lakh tribals today marched on the Collector Office at Thane.The tribals were shouting slogans like 'Shramjeevi Sanghatana Zindabad', 'Kamane Wala Khayega, Lutne Wala Jayega, Naya Jamana Aayega' (one who earns will eat, one who loots will go and new era will come) in a march led by Mr.Vivek Pandit, the founder of Sanghatana.
Shivsena Leader Mr. Subhash Desai was present at the time to support the Shramjeevi and declared that Shivsena will provide all its strength to Shramjeevi Sanghatana in their combat. Mr. Vivek Pandit founder of Sanghatana and also the Deputy Leader of Shivsena, in his speech said ''Laws are enacted in the Parliament & Legislature to ensure the rights guaranteed by the Constitution of this country. But the laws and policies remain on paper due to apathy of the rulers and the administration. Let it be the issue of regularizing the lands of tribals or the implementation of Employment Guarantee Scheme (EGS), we will have to show our power to the government.''
Collector Mr. Jarhad had a long meeting with the various administrative heads in the district on the demands of Sanghatana. Collector assured to activate revenue machinery of the district and adopt various measures for the effective implementation of Forest Rights Act. The measures include among other things appointments of volunteers on 'Forest Rights Committees', periodic review of the implementation by sub-divisional officers, ensuring forest rights in municipal corporation areas. Collector also assured to re-examine the list of families excluded from the BPL list, action against government employees not residing at headquarters, improving conditions of quarters for police and other government employees, effective implementation of EGS. Sanghatana was also successful in making collector take clear position on the issue of inclusion of 'Fudagi' Community in the Schedule of Tribes, Collector assured to make such recommendation to the government. Collector also assured to appoint more teachers and to ensure that there will be no single teacher schools on the district.
Keshav Nankar (Chairperson), Balaram Bhoir (General Secretary), Jagdish Dhodi (Dy Chairperson), Vijay Jadhav (Asst General Secretary) and various other office bearers of Sanghatana were present at the time and played major role in organising the march.


Kisan Chaure
Organizing Secretary
9270785182