The dictionary meaning of the word Adivasi is primitive inhabitants or race. If you type the word Adivasi in Google, you will find “Aboriginals are those who have their own distinct culture, customs, and values and who identify themselves as part of a distinct collective socio-culture”. When you say the word tribal, you remember some simple people; you remember some united nations. Hundreds of indigenous people live in India. A common characteristic of all types of tribals is that they are very simple and nature worshippers. These tribes are the original inhabitants of India. With the progress of civilization, the tribals could not keep up with the progress of modern society. A simple and unpretentious life is the motto of the life of the tribals. They could not grasp the so-called civilized society.

As a result, they have fallen behind with respect to the overall infrastructure of civilized society. On their own soil, they have become pitiable to the people of the so-called civilized society. Mountains, rivers, forests—everywhere the state has put its paws. Adivasis have gradually become cornered. Adivasis are still left in the back row due to laws and papers.

Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, Periyar EV Ramaswamy, Jaipal Singh Munda, Savitribai Phule, and many others sacrificed their lives for the betterment of the backward tribals. As a result, the tribals have started to come into the mainstream of society to some extent. Adivasis would never have been able to survive and struggle in a sick society plagued by the vitriol of casteism if a great thinker like Ambedkar had not included representational reservation in the constitution. And this reservation for the tribals is in question today. At present, the tribals are facing various problems. Hundreds of groups, associations, or gaontas have been formed to deal with the various problems of tribals. However, no organization has been seen to jump in that way to prevent fake ST certificates. A review of the past twenty years shows that the number of fake ST certificate holders has increased day by day.

Today, tribals have been able to make their mark in various professional fields, including jobs, because of representative reservations. Proved themselves. And even in this representational reservation, the non-tribals are taking away constitutional rights by encroaching on the rights reserved for the tribals. There is so much noise about fake doctors, fake lawyers, fake officials, fake IAS officers, fake IPS officers, and fake leaders that no one wants to utter a word about fake tribals. Neither the media, nor public representatives, nor educated netizens Everyone is tight-lipped on this issue.  If any party is asked to speak about fake tribals or non-tribals getting ST certificates, be it any political party you must condemn it but do not oppose it in any way. Don’t even raise your voice.

At present, the original tribes are cornered by such indifference. In several cases, the number of non-tribals holding ST certificates is higher than the number of actual tribals. As a result, non-tribals have been seen standing and winning votes as representatives, even in seats reserved for tribals. The number of fake ST certificate holders has increased to such an extent that today genuine tribals are denied seats reserved for STs in all departments, including education, employment, nursing, and teacher training. Whether it is for admission to schools, colleges, or universities, or for obtaining higher education like an MPhil or PhD, fake certificate holders are rampant everywhere. In the job recommendations of all the commissions or departments, including SSC, PSC, CSC, Calcutta Municipality, and PWD, non-tribals are seen to get ST certificates and occupy the seats reserved for tribals. The administration is not even looking at it.

The “West Bengal Scheduled Tribe Welfare Association” or “Paschimbanga Adibasi Kalyan Samity” was born to fight for the tribals against such unjust oppression. The main slogan is “Fight for ST Reservation”.

The main objective of this association is to prevent and punish fake ST certificate holders constitutionally. At the same time, taking the necessary measures by monitoring and investigating whether all the measures of reservation for tribals are being properly implemented in the fields of employment, the election of public representatives, and education

West Bengal Adivasi Kalyan Samiti is not a political party or organization formed or run by any particular caste group. One of the pledges of the “Paschimbanga Adivasi Kalyan Samiti” is to unite the tribals of the enlisted forty subcastes of West Bengal to fight against fake ST certificate holders. I hope to get every educated and thoughtful fellow citizen, along with all tribals, involved in this fight.

Johar🙏🏻

Parsal Kisku

Secretary

West Bengal Scheduled Tribe Welfare Association, Central Unit