landlords were disturbed as big landlords were making agreements with girijans . This brought a split among the non-tribals . Up to this time the girijans of Kondamodalu were on the side of non-tribal landlords but with this split they broke their relationship with them and joined in the sangham .
As a last resort the landlords made an attack on the girijans of Kondamodalu in August 1985 to take revenge . They beat black and blue the leader of sangham , Com Chintalada Peddireddy . There was huge protest outside and in the print media on the incident . This was condemned by MLCs like Jaffer Shariff , advocates like Kantamneni Ravindra Rao , Modugula Papireddy , leaders of OPDR and different people ’ s representatives . In this situation the government deputed the Sub Collector of Rajahmundry to Kondamodalu . ( Rampachodavaram revenue division was not formed at that time ). The Sub Collector promulgated Section 145 preventing the landlords obstructing the cultivation by girijans and he confirmed that the lands were being cultivated by girijans . The government transferred the sub inspector of police . After all these incidents the heads in the government came to a confirmed opinion that it is not correct to deal the girijans equitable demands as a law-and-order problem . The fighting spirit of girijans did not subside even after firings and repression . The revenue department and sub collectors came to the fore and decided to deal with this movement politically but not by repression .
On the other hand , the landlords who failed to disrupt the land struggle of adivasis took refuge in the courts . They challenged the Section 145 issued by the sub collector preventing the landlords disturbing the cultivation of girijans in the High Court . As the High Court was not in their favour twice , they approached the Supreme Court . As 12 respondents the Agency Girijana Sangham approached the Supreme Court . The Supreme Court also defended the right of adivasis for cultivation and rejected the demand of non-tribal landlords . In the political atmosphere prevailing at that time and as Kondamodalu land struggles were getting social sanction it became impossible for landlords to disrupt the Adivasi movement for lands . So , some families of landlords left Kondamodalu in 1985 .
According to the decisions taken by the conference sufficient land was left according to ceiling policy to non-tribal farmers and the additional land was handed over to the sangham . Some of these lands were allotted to non-tribals who had no land at all . Sangham stated that hardworking people are friends to people . It made it clear that it is against exploitation and is not against non-tribals if they do not think of exploiting girijans .
By then adivasis were able to cultivate 500 acres . Landlords had propagated that though adivasis took lands from them , they do not know cultivation . But the fact is , it was adivasis who did cultivation as coolies and bonded labourers for the landlords . Though they got lands there were no bullocks , ploughs etc which are basic necessities for cultivation . This became a problem to the Sangham . The leadership and people struggled a lot to solve this problem . 10 families were made into a group in which only one family had a plough and bullocks and nine families did not have ploughs and bullocks . They took some acres of land and cultivated the land . They planned to buy ploughs and bullocks within a year or two . Some adivasis became carpenters . After getting ploughs for every family the land was divided among the families . In this process the agricultural policy of the sangham was formed . It was decided to extend the collective culture of Adivasi life and struggle to cultivation . All those who cultivate the lands of the sangham are to contribute the fourth part of their crop to sangham ’ s collective fund . Such preserved food grains like paddy , chilli , tobacco etc . were to be distributed among them during food scarcity in September and October months . Thus , they decided to live collectively by distributing the food grains among themselves . The same policy is being practised even today . They decided to spend some part of this joint crop for the expenses of court , cases and for Sangham necessities . Some lands were kept without distribution for the sake of the youth who marry in future and form into families . Even if the crops are grown in them , they are not the family ’ s share of land .
On August 16 th , 1986 there were floods to Godavari . Those floods were in large scale compared to 1953 floods . The activists of Sangham worked extensively to save the villagers . Not only the villagers but also the police men were also saved from drowning by using their boats . They fed them and showed the way to Rampa chodavaram . The police constables thanked the adivasis who helped them even though they fired at them on some occasions . This is the case of a contradiction between nature and man .
From 1983 girijan conference to the fourth conference in November 28 th and 29 th of 1989 the adivasis formulated a land policy for tribals and non-tribals , agricultural policy of the sangham and crop policy . These policies were further developed by collective discussions and experiences . From 1985 to date the same policies are being followed . By this we can understand the role of the people in formulating these policies . No programme or policy was implemented in Kondamodalu without the role and participation of the people .
Even though there was no police camp in Kondamodalu after
Class Struggle