Suspicion and civic challenges continue to linger in the villages that were involved in the Pathalgadi movement, a tribal protectionist initiative, seven years ago.

Even at the popular tourist destination of Dassam Falls, located 40km from Ranchi, several villages still display their stone plaques, symbolising their resistance to the state and outsiders or dikus.

Despite the varying levels of support for the movement, the amenities in both the villages that backed the movement and those that opposed it are largely the same.

What stands out in these villages near the waterfall is the prominent presence of campaign materials from smaller political parties and Independent candidates, particularly in the Tamar Assembly seat, which went to the polls on November 13.

In 2016, the BJP’s Raghubar Das government attempted to change two colonial-tenancy laws to liberalise the transfer and conversion of usage of lands held by indigenous people in Jharkhand.

Munda tribals in the Khunti district, followed the others, and responded by erecting stone plaques — similar to tribal tombstones — restricting entry into their villages.

The plaques have excerpts — both genuine and false — from the Constitution and the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996. They proclaim the gram sabhas as sovereign and shun outsiders.

At the entrance of the Dassam Falls in Pansakam village, a checkpost run by local youths in the name of “Mundati Khutkatti Tribal Self Schedule Area” collects a toll from vehicles. At the centre of the car parking lot is a plaque timeline of conflicts with the government since 1955 over the implementation of the Chota Nagpur Tenancy Act of 1908.

The president of Pansakam’s gram sabha, Jogeshwar Ahir, a rare non-tribal head of a largely Munda tribal hamlet, told The Telegraph: “Pathalgadi was a movement for our rights. We do not oppose any welfare scheme. We accept any welfare scheme, but where are the schemes here?

“There are two primary schools here with just one para teacher each. How can they teach five classes at the same time? Some children have not got scholarships for almost a year now. For the last few months, many have not got their senior citizen pensions.

“The public health centre, 6km away in Taimara, usually only has a nurse on duty. For everything, we are referred to the hospital in Bundu, 28km away. We asked the MLA to ensure that at least one doctor is available 24 hours. We will keep asking,” he added.

On his political affiliation, Ahir said: “Here panchayat members align with the MLA. If we get a new MLA we will support him, or anyone who makes the schools and hospitals work.”

Across the falls on the Kanchi river, lies the Khunti district, once the hotbed of both Pathalgadi and Maoists of multiple rebel groups.

The election surveillance checkpost at the Dassam Falls police station, off the highway from Ranchi to Jamshedpur, diligently checks vehicles even though
polling has concluded.

Such diligence after polling, although mandated under the poll procedure, is uncommon. A mine-protected vehicle stands ready.

A statue of slain JDU MLA Ramesh Singh Munda stands before the checkpost at the Taimara Chowk — a reminder of the violent history of the Tamar constituency.

Munda’s son Vikas is the incumbent JMM MLA who faces Gopal Krishna Patar alias Raja Peter of the JDU here. Peter is accused of engaging members of the banned CPI(Maoist) to murder Munda in 2008.

Ahir points out that none of Pansakam’s youth have been named in any FIR against Maoists.

Husirhatu village, which is midway from the police station to the waterfall, did not install a Pathalgadi plaque.

One of its elders Sundar Munda said: “These ideas were planted in their (Pathalgadi protesters) heads after the Gujaratis (referring to the PM) tried to steal our land. Pathals are installed for the dead. We have no tradition of writing our own version of laws like this. This led to unnecessary conflict and we are happy that the trouble-makers were locked up.”

In 2021, chief minister Hemant Soren of the JMM dropped cases against those who participated in the Pathalgadi movement and the stir against the changes to tenancy laws.

Sundar pointed out that despite promises of every party, in successive elections, the elementary school has only three teachers, no water supply, and is in desperate need of renovation.

“We were told the funds were released months ago, but no renovation took place.... Every party has come asking for our votes but no one is explaining where the funds have gone and why the water has not been connected to the school. Do they send their children to schools without water supply, or with many classes seated in the same room and taught together?” he asked.

Another Husirhatu elder Samra Munda said that groups like the Bharat Adivasi Party, which has fielded a candidate from Tamar, stoked fires for Pathalgadi, but the JMM was ahead here because they showed some interest in practically improving the lives of Adivasis without inciting conflicts…. “Ramesh Munda was a very good man. People want to give his son time to perform.”

The village elders said that the key demand is cleaning the village pond, the centre of their Sarna religious practices.

“A whole lot of problems will be solved by dredging the pond. When it was deeper, it held more than 8 feet of water during summer. Animals can drink water, and we can bathe whenever we like. We can perform our rituals properly,” Samra said, adding that he supports the demand for a Sarna civil code that the JMM government has been demanding from the Centre.

“Please come during sarhul (festival). The whole village sings and dances under the full moon night after our rituals at this pond. Everyone will be very happy if it is restored. Please tell whichever MLA is elected. Our voice doesn’t reach them. Yours can,” added Sundar.

At Taimara, the administrative centre of the area, flags of the JMM, JDU and the CPM, which is also contesting, dot the village.

Local tailor Raees Khan said: “Politics happens in the villages inside. What happens here is superficial. Here we think of what the government can do for us. The villagers vote based on what they think the role of the government should be.

“Raja Peter is ahead because he worked well in the past. That’s why we voted for him even when he defeated (JMM founder and then CM) Shibu Soren (in a bypoll after Munda’s assassination in 2009). If he stood as an Independent, he may have done better. His party is seen as a party of outsiders,” he added.