Union Ministers take to Twitter to refute Congress allegation on new forest rules

Two Union ministers took to Twitter on Sunday to refute Congress allegations of dilution of the Forest Rights Act through the new forest conservation rules, terming them 'baseless' and 'ill-informed'.

The government claimed that the new rules 'do not dilute or infringe on tribal rights' and will only 'streamline the process of approvals'. Environment minister Bhupender Yadav termed Congress allegations on dilution of the Forest Rights Act 'ill- informed attempt' and said that the Centre was committed to protecting the 'rights of Adivasis'.

"Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2022, are reformative with an objective to streamline the process of approvals under the Act, and enable the parallel processing under other Acts and Rules including FRA, 2006. The allegation is an ill-informed attempt to show that the rules don't care about other provisions of the law," Yadav tweeted in response to Congress leader Jairam Ramesh's attack on the government over the new forest conservation rules. He replied to Ramesh on Twitter saying that he was trying to 'insinuate a problem where none exists' .


Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda joined in, terming Congress allegations 'frivolous and baseless' and aimed at 'misleading' the nation on tribal matters at a time when the ruling NDA has nominated a tribal woman as the Presidential candidate.

"The task of granting compensation under the FRA 2006 rests with the states and MoTA regularly reviews the implementation of the Act with the States at the level of Chief Secretaries," Munda tweeted.

Ramesh, general secretary in-charge of Congress Communications, had issued a statement on Sunday alleging that the environment ministry's new rules were 'anti-tribal'.