Mizoram polls: If voted to power, Congress says it will pass new Bill to protect land, forests

Guwahati: Congress party has promised in Mizoram that in the first session of the new Legislative Assembly of Mizoram if voted to power, Congress party will pass a new Bill that guarantees to protect the land, the forests and the rights of the tribal people of the state.

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh stated in X that the Modi government bulldozed amendments to the Forest Conservation Act during the monsoon session of the Parliament that evoked tremendous opposition and outrage across the country, even more so in the Northeast.

The Indian National Congress promises that the first session of the new Legislative Assembly of Mizoram led by the Congress party will pass a new Bill that guarantees to protect the land, the forests and the rights of the tribal people of the state. As forests are part of the concurrent list, this Bill will be sent to the President of India for assent under the provision of Article 254(2), he said.


Ramesh stated, “This is what the MNF government should have done immediately after the Monsoon session of Parliament but didn’t do because it dances to the tune of the BJP.

This is what the ZPM will never do as they are a party without an ideology, without a programme or an organisation for the people of Mizoram and will compromise with the BJP in no time”.

In August this year the Mizoram Assembly adopted a resolution opposing the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023 passed by the Parliament recently.

The resolution stated,"This House unanimously resolves to oppose the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023 to protect the rights and interest of the people of Mizoram.” The resolution was moved by Mizoram Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister TJ Lalnuntluanga.

Lalnuntluanga said, "Even though we have made an exhaustive effort to protect our forest from destruction and to safeguard the rights of people of the state, by conveying our concern about the proposed Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act through numerous correspondences to the Centre, it has yielded no result. Therefore, we present this resolution today.”

All MLAs except BJP MLA lawmaker BD Chakma, supported the resolution after a lengthy discussion involving the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) and the opposition.