Two persons, including a retired IAS officer, were today arrested for allegedly misinterpreting Constitution and inciting"people to commit offence through "Patthalgadi" movement in Chhattisgarh's Jashpur district, police said.
One more person has been arrested for allegedly obstructing public servants from discharging their duty"in connection with the Patthalgadi issue.
Last week, tribals had held a meeting in villages of Jashpur and performed 'patthalgadi' under which they put plaques outside their villages declaring the rights and powers of gram sabhas in scheduled areas.
"Retired IAS officer HP Kindo and a former employee of the ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corporation) Joseph Tigga were arrested on the basis of a complaint lodged by a local with Narayanpur police station," a senior official told PTI.
Today, three cases have been lodged in connection with the issue"with Bagicha police station in which one person was arrested, while one case was lodged with Narayanpur police station of the district wherein Kindo and Tigga were held, he said.
The trio were produced in a local court which remanded them in judicial custody for 15 days, he said.
On April 22, Patthalgadi was performed in Bachhraon village in Narayanpur area during which Tigga, Kindo and some others allegedly misinterpreted the Constitution and tried to provoke people against the local administration, the official said.
They were booked under the IPC sections 149 (unlawful assembly)"153"B (promoting enmity between religious groups), 505(1)c (an"intent to incite, or which is likely to incite, any class or community of persons to commit any offence against any other class or community) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy), he said.
Three other cases registered at Bagicha police station pertained to alleged hurling of stones on police vehicles and gheraoing the policemen as well as administrative officials by villagers two days back at Butunga village, he said.
On April 28 evening, a clash had broken out between two groups over the Patthalgadi issue in Butunga, following which administrative and police officials rushed to the spot along with security personnel.
Some villagers had allegedly gheraoed policemen and officials after pelting their vehicles with stones. The situation was, however, later brought under control, the official said, adding that absconding accused would be arrested soon.
After the incidents of Pathhlgadi came to light a few days back, state Home Minister Ramsewak Paikra had said"it was part of a conspiracy by some retired officials, which is undemocratic.
The BJP government has been working effectively for the benefit of tribals, but people with vested interests are trying to mislead the tribals and villagers, Paikra had said.
Meanwhile, the Congress today accused the state government of failing to ensure basic amenities to tribals and villagers living in the scheduled areas which it said resulted in unrest.
"The government has failed to discharge its Constitutional duties in scheduled areas. The government's information and administration network has failed. Pathhalgadi is the result of multiple failures of the Raman Singh government," said Congress state spokesperson Shailesh Nitin Tirvedi.
"Tribals are nowhere wrong, if they are demanding implementation of the Constitutional provisions. Unfortunately, nobody have gone through their problems and what they are demanding," Trivedi added.
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