Jharkhand tribals in limelight

KOZHIKODE: After Bengalis and Biharis, it’s the turn of tribal people  from Jharkhand to reach God’s Own Country and their harvest songs  in Santhali tribal language are being heard in Kerala’s  paddy fields. 

Mr V.N.P. Abdurahman of Thrikaripur in Kasargod has roped in three Jharkhand natives for the  agrarian work  in his paddy field.

“My queries for labour with Bengali and Bihari migrant labourers were responded with a firm ‘no’ as they don’t know harvesting,” said Mr Abdurahman.  

But the  Jharkhand tribal people know everything---from sowing to harvesting of paddy. Manjula Herong (45), Shivlal Herong (40) and Dhena Murno (25) are  now sweating it out in Mr Abdurahman’s field.

They reached here through a  native of their place,  Shareef Ansari, who had earlier worked in Kerala as a hotel employee. The sickle being used by Jharkhand people is  curved  compared to ours.  

“No local  labourers are available for the agrarian work  now.  After the launch  of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), the situation has worsened,” felt  Mr N. Gopalan Master of  Thrikaripur who still has  an acre of paddy field.  Jharkhand labourers say that here they get thrice the wages they earned in  their  home state.

“The acquisition of forest land for power projects had pushed them to poverty.  They reached here after working for a few months in the coal mine,” said Mr Abdurahman. They forget their worries in the  paddy field and  hum the  song in Santhali.