Tribal Act is law of land, implement it now, says CPI

18 Oct, 2007 The Economic Times

NEW DELHI: As the government bends backwards to appease the ‘tiger lobby’ by putting off the notification of the politically-crucial Tribal Land Act, CPI has charged the government with succumbing to pressure from powerful vested interests. The government pressed the pause button after the Congress leadership expressed reservation over the Act.

The Act was passed last winter. Government sources, who said the notification was finalised this July, confirmed that the government is facing stiff resistance from the Congress president and wildlife enthusiasts close to her.
The Left, which rammed in the point that the government was defying Parliament by not notifying an Act passed nearly a year ago, alleged that attempts are underway to weaken the law.

CPI’s D Raja, who sought the prime minister’s intervention, described the failure of the government to notify the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) as a betrayal of the people. “Most remarkable of all is the opposition to this Act by some individuals on grounds of wildlife conservation. It is extraordinary how a government that has weakened all environmental and social regulations for private companies suddenly discovers environmental values when it comes to the rights of the poor,” Mr Raja said.

The CPI MP attacked wildlife conservationists for opposing the Act. “After Parliament passed the Act, it is the law of the land. It is not open to the government to undermine it and allow it to be rendered null and void by evictions. The government must ensure that the Act is not sabotaged,” he said.

The Act aims at giving Scheduled Tribes living in forests and other tribals who have been living in forests for three generations the right to be entitled to four hectares, where they can cultivate. Though July 31 was the deadline for comments on the Draft Rules, the Act is yet to be notified and rules finalised. The Committee for Drafting Rules was formed in March, 2007, three months after the bill was passed. The Draft Rules were put on the website on June 19.

Earlier, CPM general secretary Prakash Karat had sought the prime minister’s intervention for expediting notification of the Act. Mr Karat had said that forest officials who have been responsible for denial of tribal rights have taken advantage of the delay between the Act and its notification to evict tribals from many areas. He also told the prime minister that there were reports of connivance between land mafia and officials to take illegal possession of land. The CPM had alleged that a lobby within or outside the UPA was trying to sabotage the Act.

Mr Raja also said delay in notifying it was causing unrest among people facing repression and brutal violence in various parts of the country. He said cases of uprooting of villagers have taken place in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat. “These evictions are clearly aimed at removing people before the Act comes into force — a blatant fraud on the legislation and on Parliament,” Mr Raja said in a letter to the prime minister.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/PoliticsNation/Tribal_Act_is_law_of_land_implement_it_now_says_CPI/articleshow/2468599.cms

With thanks from The Economic Times

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