A violent confrontation on December 13 in Padaliya village, located in the Danta taluka of Banaskantha district, has plunged the Gujarat government into a simmering tribal protest. The clash between local residents and a team of government officials resulted in injuries on both sides, with nearly 50 officials reportedly hurt. A week after the incident, no arrests have been made, escalating tensions in the region.
The Flashpoint: A 45-Hectare Forest Plot
The core of the dispute is a 45-hectare plot of land that belongs to the Forest Department and falls within the Balaram-Ambaji Wildlife Sanctuary. This land has been occupied for a long time by the family of Shakariben Parmar, a Dungri Garasiya tribal. Villagers assert that her family has cultivated the land "for generations." Earlier this month, forest officials arrived and demolished Shakariben's hut, vacating a part of the land. Officials were in the area for a tree-planting exercise.
The situation first turned tense on December 5 when forest officials attempting the plantation were allegedly stopped by members of a little-known group called the 'AC Bharat Sarkar Sangathan'. An FIR was registered following this initial altercation against a mob of about a hundred people.
December 13 Clash and Aftermath
Matters came to a head on December 13 when forest officials, accompanied by police and revenue department personnel, returned to the site. They were met by a large protest of around 500 people. According to official accounts, the mob attacked the team with stones, bows and arrows, and swords, leading to the injury of dozens of officials.
An FIR into the incident names 26 individuals and "a mob of 500" under serious charges including attempt to murder, dacoity, unlawful assembly, and damage to public property. In the aftermath, many injured villagers are reportedly avoiding hospitals due to fears of being arrested and framed by the police.
The investigation is now zeroing in on the role of the AC Bharat Sarkar Sangathan. The group, reportedly founded in Tapi district and active along the Rajasthan border, is said to be led by an ex-Armyman known as Laxman Fauji, who is named as an accused. Banaskantha Superintendent of Police Prashant Sumbe confirmed they are gathering more information about him and the outfit.
Political Reactions and Allegations
The incident has drawn sharp political reactions. Congress MLA from Danta, Kanti Kharadi, who visited Padaliya village to meet with tribals, has squarely blamed the officials. He argues that Shakariben's family, settled on the land before the 2006 Forest Rights Act (FRA), is entitled to it. He alleged that her hut was demolished without any prior notice and that the December 13 clash was escalated due to "instigation by officials."
Kharadi also dismissed the government's narrative around the AC Bharat Sarkar Sangathan, calling its presence in the region insignificant and accusing authorities of harassing local tribals under this pretext. He demanded an FIR against the involved forest and police officials as well.
Echoing concerns over tribal rights, former Union minister Tushar Chaudhary pointed to the slow implementation of the FRA, noting that the government has cleared only 52% of applications.
On the defensive, the ruling BJP saw its district Scheduled Tribe Morcha chief, Ladhubhai Parghi, suggest that a notice should have been issued to the family or that the organization could have been approached for help. Meanwhile, Minister of State for Forest and Environment, Pravin Mali, countered Congress claims. He highlighted that the government has regularized 16,355 acres for 6,619 tribals under FRA in the district and blamed "anti-Gujarat forces" for the violence.
As the probe continues and political blame-game intensifies, the incident in Banaskantha has highlighted the deep-seated issues surrounding forest land rights and tribal welfare in Gujarat, leaving the government to manage a growing protest.
