Gujarat govt constitutes a five-member commission to protect the rights of tribal

Gujarat government constituted a five-member commission to decide rightful beneficiaries of Rabari, Bharwad, and Charan castes residing in the Ness areas of Gir, Barda, and Aalech forests.

Background

• The central government had, through a notification dated October 29, 1956, conferred ST status on people from Rabari, Bharvad, and Charan communities living in the nesses of Gir, Barda, and Alech in Gujarat.
• Many tribal community leaders have been protesting for quite some time alleging that several people who do not live in nesses have managed to get ST certificates and are enjoying undue reservation benefits, mainly in government jobs.
• To resolve this issue and decide the legitimate beneficiaries of ST status among the members of the three communities, the commission has been formed.

Composition:

• The Five-member commission would consist of a retired High Court Judge, two retired District Court Judges, a retired Forest Department official, and a retired Additional Collector.

Objective: 

• To resolve the long-pending issue about the Scheduled Tribes Certificate for the tribal living in the region.
• To protect the Constitutional rights of rightful tribal and to prevent the wrong person from taking benefits of the tribal.

About the Tribes

Bharwad

• The term Bharwad is reported to be a modified form of the word 'Badawad' and 'bada' means sheep and 'Wada' in Gujarati refer to compound or enclosure.
  • The person who possesses compounds or pens in this caste of shepherds was known as Badawad which in course of time came to be known as Gadarieas. In Sough Gujarat they are referred to as Ahirs.
• They communicate in Gujarati. They use the Gujarati script.
• Clan exogamy is the norm. They practice monogamy. Ghargenu (remarriage) is permitted in case of the death of either spouse.
• Bharwad women have no right to property inheritance. Bharwad women enjoy low status.
• The Bharwads are pastorals who are permitted to graze their sheep and cattle in certain demarcated areas of the reserved forest. Some Bharwads possess dry agricultural land under the Satharnal scheme (1968).
• The Bharwads profess Hindusim. Lord Krishna is considered the supreme God. Each clan has its deity. Their chief deity is Masai Mata.

Charan

• They are also called The name Charan is derived from the word char which means grazing.
• They speak Gujarati and use Gujarati script. The Charan are strictly vegetarian.
• There are four endogamous groups among the Charans known as Prajia, Seva, Agarvacha, and Tumbel. Hierarchical order does exist between these groups
• The Charans marry within their community.
• The Charans are traditionally cattle breeders. They have also adopted agriculture as their secondary occupation.
• They profess Hinduism. The main deity of the Charan is Pithorai Mata located at Pathrama village in Mendarda taluka of Junagadh. She is their chief as well as a regional deity.

Rabari

• Bhopa is the short name used for a group of Rabaris who are referred to as Bhopa Rabari.
• They had migrated from Rajasthan via Kutch to Okhamandal and now most of the Bhopa Rabaris are, distributed in the Okhamandal region of Jamnagar district.
• They speak a language which is a mixture of Gujarati, Kachchi, and Marwari words and Pharasi; it is popularly known as a language, by the community name, i.e. Bhopa. They use the Gujarati script.
• Women do not have the right to parental property.
• The main economic activity of the Bhopas is sheep breeding and selling of milk.
• The Bhopas profess Hinduism and are Shiva and Shakti, followers.