Digvijaya Singh organises premier show of 'Jungle Satyagraha' at MP Assembly

Bhopal, Jan 13 The special premiere of 'Jungle Satyagraha' - a movie based on a true story highlighting a tribal movement against draconian British rule, was organised at Madhya Pradesh Vidhan Sabha on Monday.

The premiere show organised by former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh at the auditorium of the Vidhan Sabha, was attended by several Congress leaders, including PCC chief Jitu Patwari and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Umang Singhar.

Madhya Pradesh Vidhan Sabha Secretary A.P. Singh and two former MLAs from Betul, who have acted in the film - Sukhdev Panse and Dharmu Singh Sirsam -- along with director and producer of the film Pradeep Uike also attended the premiere show.

Digvijaya Singh's office said the legislators from the ruling BJP, including Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and the Assembly Speaker Narendra Singh Tomar were also invited to watch the film, however, they didn't turn up. State BJP chief V.D. Sharma was also invited, but he too didn't attend.

"It is a story of the beginning of tribal movement against the British rule. I would appeal to people of the state to watch the film to know how our tribal heroes fought for their rights and unity," Digvijaya Singh said.

The film highlighted the tribal movement that began in Madhya Pradesh's Betul district in 1930s, had characters from tribal communities from Madhya Pradesh's Betul and Chhindwara districts.

The film 'Jungle Satyagraha' highlighted the struggle of tribals trough a non-violent civil disobedience movement against British rule.

Director of the film Pradeep Uike, who is also a resident of Betul, said the movie began at Banjari Dhaal in Betul district, then part of Madhya Bharat.

"The film features tribal actors, many of whom are local, and was mostly shot in Betul and Chhindwara districts. The film's premiere at the Vidhan Sabha is a significant milestone for the movement's recognition," Uike said.

He further stated that the movie is a tribute to key leaders of the movement, including Sardar Ganjan Singh Korku, Sardar Vishnu Singh Gond, Thakur Mohkam Singh, Ramji Korku and Jugru Gond.

Notably, Rampur police station in Betul, where tribal freedom fighters were imprisoned and tortured, has been transformed into a museum to honour the Jungle Satyagraha and its legacy.

Earlier, Digvijaya Singh had said that he had requested Chief Minister Mohan Yadav to make 'Jungle Satyagraha' tax free in the state. However, the state government is yet to make any announcement in this regard.

Source: IANS