Not many Adivasis in Adilabad, including a majority of the descendants of Kumram Bheem, realise that this year’s anniversary of the Gond martyr would be the first to be observed in the proposed Kumram Bheem Mancherial (KBM) district as Jodeghat village is slated to be clubbed with the new entity.
They are happy over the government’s move to name the new district after their hero but confess they are ignorant of the implications of the new development which will take place in their life five days ahead of the martyrdom anniversary.
“I heard elders discuss that a district is being named after my grandfather but I do not know where Mancherial is,” said Kumram Sombai, granddaughter of Bheem, who works in the Ashram school at Jodeghat. Sombai sums up the situation for thousands of Gonds, Kolams and other aboriginal tribal people living in the far flung areas of Adilabad district, with regard to the current developments.
Athram Dev Rao, a Kolam from the nearby Jodeghat Kolamguda was also unsure of what the new development would augur. “I have never been to Mancherial though I have been to Adilabad once,” he said when asked on the impending trifurcation of the district.
The Adivasi population in Adilabad also gets split with reorganisation of the district and this is one aspect which has not gone down well with the tribals.
They are demanding a separate district comprising of all Adivasi habitations.
“Adivasis should be under one umbrella,” said Kumram Sone Rao, grandson of Bheem, who lives in Pedda Dhoba village of Sirpur (U) mandal which will remain with the residuary Adilabad post trifurcation.
“It makes little sense to name a district after the martyr when a majority of the aboriginal population will be in the parent district,” he argued while supporting the demand for a tribal district.
President of Kumram Bheem Poru Gramala Yuvajana Sangham Pendur Rajeshwar wondered if the formation of KBM will lead to development of Jodeghat. “The promise of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and his son K Taraka Rama Rao to construct 50 two bedroom houses at Jodeghat remains unfulfilled,” he pointed out.
