In May 2016, the
central government introduced two
ordinances which enabled transfer of tribal land to the government as well as for commercial purposes. Following this the Pathalgadi movement regained prominence to fight for the tribal
Jal-Jungle-Jameen (water-forest-land) and new stones were erected. The first tribal villages to start the practice were in
Khunti district, the birthplace
Birsa Munda. The ordinances had to be withdrawn. The tribals behind the movement also boycotted the
2019 Indian general election. and the
Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act, 1949. These two original laws had safeguarded the rights of the tribal communities on their land. According to the existing laws the land transactions could only be done between the tribals. The new amendments gave the tribals the right to allow the government to make commercial use of the tribal land and to take the tribal land on lease. The proposed bill amending the existing law had been approved by the
Jharkhand Legislative Assembly. The bills were sent to Murmu for approval in November 2016. The tribal people had strongly objected to the proposed law. During the Pathalgardi movement, protests were held against the proposed amendments to the tenancy acts. On 24 May 2017, Murmu relented and refused to give assent to the bills and returned the bill to the state government along with the memorandums she had received. The bill was later withdrawn in August 2017. However by June 2019, many of the tribals, out of fear of arrest or harassment, have moved away from the movement. In blocks such as
Khunti,
Arki and
Murhu, nearly 10% of the population was booked. People's Liberation Front of India (PLFI) leaders associated with the movement had been arrested, thousands of tribals were arrested and
FIRs filed against at least 14000 people. Some people were booked for
sedition. Among the leaders included Father Alfonso Aind, charged in the Kochang gang rape incident, which had been carried out as revenge against women who dared to enter a Pathalgadi village for the purpose of spreading awareness about human trafficking. While the movement has faded away in a number of areas, in some places like
Garhwa village in Khunti it continues. However in early 2020, seven people were beheaded in violence related to the movement. An opium cultivation connection as well as a
Maoist connection has been described in the Indian media. Media coverage of the movement, though expansive, is critical, and considers the movement "anti-development". "Samu Oreya, Birsa Oreya and Babita Kacchap involved in Pathalghadi movement in Jharkhand were detained in
Gujarat. They were trying to incite people in Vyara and Mahisagar against the government", the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) said in a statement. "They were trying to incite people against the present government in Gujarat's
Vyara and
Mahisagar. They were inciting people of Satipati community," said ATS. The special force also said that they were trying to raise money for the Pathalgadi movement. == References ==