Santbal A Saint with a Difference

Author(s): T U Mehta
Publisher: Navjivan Prakashan Mandir

Page 81

complainant and against that lending member of the Khedut Mandal who had manoeuvred the whole thing to grab the land.
Dispute between two Families :
Another instance of successful arbitration which is noted by Shri Faljibhai in his book is as under:
Khedut Mandal had decided to try to settle any type of dispute which is reported from any of the adjoining villages. So once a gentleman from the adjoining village reported to Faljibhai that one person of his village had gone on fast at the bank of his village pond. On inquiry Faljibhai came to know that he had gone on fast as two factions of the village had a violent scuffle in the village bazaar and the whole village was tense. On further inquiry it was found that there was a long standing quarrel between two step-brothers of Rajput Community and one of the brothers had given one of his sons in adoption to their wealthy uncle, thus disturbing the right of inheritance of the other brother and his family. While this dispute about adoption was going on the elder brother, who had given his son on adoption, was murdered. On suspicion, the younger brother was prosecuted for murder but was acquitted in Court proceedings. However, those who were siding with the elder brother, who was murdered, wanted to take revenge against the younger brother, who knowing this, began to reside at another village. The village was mainly populated by Rajput Community which was divided in two factions each siding one brother. This resulted often in some skirmishes between the two factions.
Faljibhai and Ambubhai, the Secretary of Khedut Mandal, contacted both the factions and tried to persuade them, but could not succeed. Some of the elders of the village proposed that the efforts should be resumed after a few days.
55