Gujarat lags behind tribal men, women in average voter turnout

The tribal areas it seems voted with gusto and as usual, surpassed the voting percentage in non-tribal areas of the state. In fact, men came out in large numbers, registering an average male voter turnout of 85.3% in tribal areas, against the average of 67% for the state.

The female voter turnout was also close to 10% higher than the average women voter turnout in the rest of the state. It was 69.50% for women in tribal areas while it was 60.90% for the rest of Gujarat.

Overall, the six constituencies that are either reserved for tribals or have substantial population of tribals, saw an overall average voting percentage of 77% against an average turnout of 64.11% for the state.

Amarsinh Z Chaudhary, president of 'Adivasi Samanvay Manch said a lot of factors are at play when one considers the high turnout in tribal areas.

“To begin with, the ruling party has been offering cash doles to people to go out and vote and that is a big incentive for them,” said Chaudhary. He said earlier, tribals were not really aware of the power of voting but now, it is on the rise. “There has been considerable awareness among the tribals and that could be the second reason.

But according to me, the most important reason is the lure of getting land titles in their names,” said Chaudhary. He said the Forest Rights Act (FRA) is a big issue with the tribals and a lot of them are at loggerheads with the government over their claim to forest land.

“This is a sore issue for them and a lot of them could be exercising their franchise in the hope that the government will take their demands into consideration,” said Chaudhary.

Nishaant Chokshi, an assistant professor with the Social Sciences Department of the Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar, too believes that the FRA could be a rallying point for the adivasis this elections.

Chokshi, who has studied Adivasi societies in Gujarat said, “I am no expert on analysing voting trends. But in recent times a number of movements, particularly those surrounding the FRAs have mobilised the tribals in a big way in Gujarat.”

He added that displacement of tribals from their land, inability to claim a title to forest land they have been cultivating for ages under the FRA and the agrarian crisis and water issues could have been a motivational factor for them to come out and vote.

On a high note

The six constituencies that are either reserved for tribals or have a substantial population of tribals, saw an overall average voting percentage of 77% against an average turnout of 64.11% for the state.