Tribals seek release of those arrested in 'fake' naxal cases

Thousands of tribals on Wednesday staged a day-long protest in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district, seeking release of those languishing in jails on 'false' charges of being naxals.

People from remote areas of Dantewada, Sukma and Bijapur districts took part in the demonstration at Nakulnar village in Dantewada, tribal activist and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Soni Sori told reporters.

Sori and activist Bela Bhatia also participated in the demonstration.

The Congress had promised during last year's Assembly polls that innocent tribals lodged in prison in the naxal- affected areas will be released, Sori said.

But after coming to power, its government did not free a single innocent tribal person, she alleged.

Congress MLAs Devti Karma (who represents Dantewada) and Vikram Mandavi (who represents Bijapur) met the protesters and promised to take up their grievances with the government, Sori said.

Key demand of the protesters is that state government should give a time frame within which triabls lodged in jails on false charges of being naxals will be released, Sori said.

Other demands were that these incarcerated tribals should get nutritious food, proper medical facilities and legal assistance, the AAP leader said.

Another demand is that there should be local-level committees which can meet prisoners twice a year to know their grievances, Sori said.

A delegation of villagers from Dantewada, Bijapur, Sukma and Narayanpur districts will soon meet chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, she added.

In March, the Chhattisgarh government had set up a high-level committee headed by a retired supreme court judge to review police cases against tribals in naxal-affected areas.