Sadaf Modak
One of the initiators of the education of the Madia-Gond tribe in Maharashtra, Prakash Amte feels that due to education fewer tribals join Naxalism. “Education has brought about a change. The literate tribals do not usually join the Naxal movement,” says the Magsaysay Award-winning doctor whose project Lok Biradari Prakalp, begun by his father Baba Amte, has been running a school in the tribal-populated Hemalkasa for the last 35 years. “There were only 25 students in the first year in 1974. Today, there are more than 600 students”, he adds.
Two students from the first batch of 25 went on to become a policeman and a Naxal. Pandu and Juru were classmates who ended up on different sides of the law. Pandu, the policeman killed Juru in an anti-Naxal operation but was subsequently killed by a Naxal dalam seeking a revenge for Juru’s death. “There have been four Naxal students from this school since its inception. But for the past ten years, not one has joined the Naxal groups,” said Vilas Manohar, one of the initial few who came to Hemalkasa with Baba Amte to work for the tribals.
More than 38 per cent of the population in Gadchiroli district belongs to Scheduled Tribes. Most villages find themselves caught in the war between the police and the Naxals and many therefore send their children to resident schools such as these.
While the literacy rate of the state is above the national average, only 13 per cent of the Gond tribe is educated till the higher secondary level, with less than 2 per cent completing graduation.
