Opposition set to make tribal eviction poll issue

NEW DELHI: The recent Supreme Court order to evict tribals and forest dwellers whose claims over forest land have been rejected by state government is turning into a potent election issue for opposition parties that have blamed BJP for most of the rejections.

Congress governments in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh have decided to review all the rejected claims, while in Jharkhand Congress and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) plan state-wide protests and rallies against the order.

The SC order of February 13 to evict tribals whose claims were rejected under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006, before July 27 could impact more than one million tribals and other forest dwellers, as per media reports.


In Chhattisgarh, where 54% of forest rights claims have been rejected, the Congress government has decided to represent before the SC that it is reviewing all the rejected claims and would seek time.

“We would first represent before the court that over half of the claims were rejected,” a government spokesperson said. “These need to be reviewed and we would need time. There was poor awareness about how to file claims and the tribals have suffered because of this.”

The government is now in the process of training its departments – including forest, tribal affairs and other departments – in filing claims and reviewing the cases, the person said. “This has just been completed. Now whatever BJP government has rejected, that needs to be reviewed. We would start that now. In case the court does not give time, we will file a review petition.”

In the neighbouring Jharkhand, where 27% of the claims have been rejected, Congress and its ally JMM have started state-wide protests against the order. “We have a long-term action plan where we will create awareness on how to file forest rights claims and what rights forest dwellers have,” said Ajoy Kumar, Jharkhand state Congress president.

Congress has accused BJP government in Jharkhand of favouring private companies and unlawfully evicting tribals from their rightful land. “Jharkhand government is known for evicting tribals,” Kumar said. “With this order, they would get yet another reason to evict tribals.”

Congress-ruled Madhya Pradesh has already formed a committee to review the cases and suggest the future course of action.

The Opposition has sniffed an opportunity in these tribal-dominated states ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.