By IANS
New Delhi : While thousands of tribals, who had marched to the capital demanding basic rights, left for their hometowns by train Tuesday, over 200 of them stayed back at the Ramlila grounds as the government refused to provide extra train coaches.
Of the 25,000-odd landless tribal marchers, about 20,000 have already left for their homes, but nearly 2,000 stranded marchers are waiting at the stations to board trains, organisers said.
“Over 200 marchers have stayed back at the Ramlila Ground, as there are not sufficient trains,” Ramesh Sharma, a coordinator of the organising Ekta Parishad, told IANS.
“We had asked the government to provide us with one extra coach in all the trains going to Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Orissa from Delhi. However, they declined, saying the notice must have been given 24 hours prior to the scheduled departure of the train,” he added.
The participants, who came from villages across India, trekked a distance of 322 km to the national capital from Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, are returning home Tuesday after the government inclined to their demands of right to land, water and livelihood.
The atmosphere at the Ramlila Ground was relaxed and at the same time festive. While children were playing, and women were chatting or washing clothes near water tankers, some were dressed in colourful ethnic clothes, singing and dancing to folk songs – it was time to celebrate as the government had accepted their demands.
“With the government listening to us, the celebrations are going on and people are extremely happy and are enjoying the win,” Sharma said.
Bowing to the demands of the marchers, the government announced Monday it was setting up a committee to suggest land reforms and fast track courts to settle land disputes.
“What can be a better Diwali gift than this one (the government agreeing to their demands)? With access to livelihood, one can now dream of a better future ahead,” said Shambhu Advasi, a marcher from Chhattisgarh.