CHANDRAPUR: Tribals in and around Chandrapur are miffed with the Election Commission of India (ECI) for holding the state assembly elections on October 21. The day is observed as the martyrdom day of tribal warrior Shahid Baburao Shedmake in Chandrapur and surrounding districts in Vidarbha.
Tribal organizations and parties have come together to demand a change in the polling date and have threatened to boycott the elections, if their demand is not met.
Baburao Shedmake is a legendry tribal freedom fighter, revered by the tribal community in Vidarbha. The tribal troops, led by Veer Baburao Shedmake in the forested areas of present-day Chandrapur and Gadchiroli districts had inflicted three consecutive defeats to British troops in a span of just seven months, during the 1857 uprising.
He was finally captured by the British troops and jailed at Chandrapur district central jail. The tribal general was later hanged to a tree in the district central jail premises on October 21 by the British government.
Every year, thousands of tribals from across Chandrapur and neighbouring districts gather on October 21 near the tree where Shedmake was hanged, to pay their tributes to him. Tribal leader Namdev Shedmake claimed that the government of India had issued a postal ticket in Baburao Shedmake’s name.
“The local minister has given grants for building a grand memorial at the tree where he was hanged. The feelings of the tribal community were completely ignored while scheduling the elections. If polling is held on that day, it will adversely affect the voting percentage of tribal community across Vidarbha. Thus, we have urged the election commission to change the polling date,” he said, addressing a press conference.
A joint delegation representing various tribal organizations met the district collector and submitted their memorandum of demand. Gondwana Ganatantra Party general secretary Vijaysingh Madavi claimed that there were over 4.5 lakh voters in six constituencies in Chandrapur district, and warned that if the polling date was not rescheduled, tribals could boycott the elections completely.
Tribal organizations and parties have come together to demand a change in the polling date and have threatened to boycott the elections, if their demand is not met.
Baburao Shedmake is a legendry tribal freedom fighter, revered by the tribal community in Vidarbha. The tribal troops, led by Veer Baburao Shedmake in the forested areas of present-day Chandrapur and Gadchiroli districts had inflicted three consecutive defeats to British troops in a span of just seven months, during the 1857 uprising.
He was finally captured by the British troops and jailed at Chandrapur district central jail. The tribal general was later hanged to a tree in the district central jail premises on October 21 by the British government.
Every year, thousands of tribals from across Chandrapur and neighbouring districts gather on October 21 near the tree where Shedmake was hanged, to pay their tributes to him. Tribal leader Namdev Shedmake claimed that the government of India had issued a postal ticket in Baburao Shedmake’s name.
“The local minister has given grants for building a grand memorial at the tree where he was hanged. The feelings of the tribal community were completely ignored while scheduling the elections. If polling is held on that day, it will adversely affect the voting percentage of tribal community across Vidarbha. Thus, we have urged the election commission to change the polling date,” he said, addressing a press conference.
A joint delegation representing various tribal organizations met the district collector and submitted their memorandum of demand. Gondwana Ganatantra Party general secretary Vijaysingh Madavi claimed that there were over 4.5 lakh voters in six constituencies in Chandrapur district, and warned that if the polling date was not rescheduled, tribals could boycott the elections completely.
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