`Ante-Christ' tribals treated as aliens in their own land

Tuesday, August 5 1997

`Ante-Christ' tribals treated as aliens in their own land

Anand Sundas

KATASVAN (SURAT), Aug 4: ``Don't go there,'' warns Zinu Bhai, a businessman in Vyara, a small town 70 km from Surat. ``Everybody shivers at the mention of that busti. Terrorists stay there. Very violent people they are,'' he adds. But Katasvan, a tribal dominated village deep in the interiors of south Gujarat, does not conform to well-meaning Zinu Bhai's description.

Zinu Bhai, like many others, has been brainwashed by a three-pronged anti-tribal propaganda unleashed by the state, the police and the media. As the tribals are non-conformists and do not subscribe to mainstream dialectics, they have invited the wrath of the government.

The tribals have rubbed local politicians the wrong way by refusing to align with any party. The administration is not too happy either with their refusal to pay taxes. The sect's followers believe that as they are aboriginals who have ``always been here'' the authorities have no right to tax them.

Katasvan's misfortunes have a lot to do with the philosophy of its maverick 107-year-old leader, Kunwer Keshrisinh or `Dada' as he is popularly known. He is the leader of an often misunderstood sect called the Sadi Padi and whose followers call themselves the AC (AC denoting Ante-Christ) tribals.

Dada says talk about the sect advocating secession from India is hogwash. ``There are some vested interests out to get us...nobody makes an effort to understand us,'' says Dada bitterly.

But then, people find it hard to accept the sect's beliefs and customs. The tribals revere revenue stamps, which according to Ranchod Bhursinhbhai, a Sadi Padi follower, ``is the true constitution''. They also have a disdain for currencies of denominations above rupee one. Ravindra Gamit, Dada's lawyer son, says, ``Do other notes have Government of India written on it? What is Reserve Bank of India? The Government of India is the constitution not some stupid bank.''

The media has contributed its bit to creating a myth about these people. Dada expresses shock at the recent report of a Delhi-based weekly stating that AC tribals were all set to secede from the Indian union and are soon to declare their own constitution.