By Manoj Pathak

Ranchi, Dec 30 (IANS): In its first decision on Monday, the newly formed Jharkhand government announced the withdrawal of all the cases of sedition in the Pathalgadi movement.

The tribals of Khunti district and Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha, a platform of social activists, welcomed the decision of the Hemant Soren-led coalition government.

Rameshwar Oraon, a minister in the Jharkhand government, said: "Pathalgadi has been a part of the culture of the tribals. It should not be tempered. Though people explained the Constitution in a wrong way during the movement but they can't be anti-national. The tribals have always been patriotic."

An official said as per the government's decision we have started withdrawing the cases filed for protesting the amendments in the Chota Nagpur Tenancy Act (CNT Act) and the Santal Parganas Tenancy Act (SPT Act) and undertaking the pathalgadi movement.

Under the pathalgadi movement, the tribals wrote the rights given to them in the fifth schedule of the Constitution on the big stones and placed them at several places. The movement also became violent as there were clashes between the police and the tribals.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government registered sedition cases under the Indian Penal Code against those who were actively involved in the movement and against several named persons.

According to the police, 19 cases were registered in the Pathalgadi movement in which 172 people were named.

The movement which started last year had an impact on the recently held Assembly elections. It is being said that the BJP paid the price for registering sedition cases.