Cong misses mark: No bow and arrow to counter the trishul

The Congress’ answer to the Bajrang Dal’s ‘‘trident’’ campaign in the tribal-dominated Jhabua district — the bow and arrow — has boomeranged. The party, while trying to reach out with traditional weapons, did not factor in one statistic — among 85 murders reported this year, barring one or two cases, the weapon used was the bow and arrow. And, tribals have been exhorted not to use the weapon.

The Congress was forced to abort its campaign to distribute bows and arrows to around 30,000 tribals between Dussehra and Diwali following the police directive. Congress leader Mahesh Patel, vice-president of Jhabua district panchayat, had even announced that Union Minister of State Kantilal Bhuria, who is pradesh chief of Adivasi Ekta Parishad, would preside over the distribution ceremony. Patel told The Indian Express that he had been ordered by the party to call off the programme. ‘‘I can’t defy the party,’’ he said. Patel has been summoned by the party high command to Delhi to explain his position. The rider: The tribals were free to go ahead and organise the function if they like.

‘‘We were slowly finding success in our campaign against use of bows and arrows,’’ said Jhabua SP Umesh Joga, who organised a major programme in 10 villages in March. The tribals did not agree to keep their weapons in police custody, so Joga, who took over in January 2004, convinced them to tie a raksha sutra (string) to their bows, to remind them that they are under oath not to attack.