Don't neglect forest dwellers: Pejawar seer

The negligence of the government towards forest dwellers itself is the reason for the growth of revenge in the minds of forest dwellers, explained, Pejawar mutt seer Vishwesha Theertha Swami.

“The government should provide the forest dwellers basic amenities and strive for their development. People and society too should give their own contributions to their progress,” advised the seer.

He was speaking after inaugurating the Vanavasi Kalyana Karnataka Pranta Sammelana at Rajangana in Udupi on Monday. Forest dwellers are spread over various parts of the country and have no proper housing facilities. They are being evacuated in the name of National Park and have not been provided with land rights.

The government is only focusing on urban and rural people and is neglecting forest dwellers. There is a need to express humanitarian concern about forest dwellers and steps should also be taken for their upbringing. They should be provided with lands and education, said Vishwesha Theertha.

The Pejawar Mutt has been working for the welfare of forest dwellers. Electricity connection is being provided to the villages that are amidst forests and deprived of power facility. The situation of Koraga community, which is one of the aboriginal communities, is also saddening. There is a need to give due attention to them as well, he said.

Akhila Bharatiya Shraddha Jagaran Pramukh Ramesh Babu said that the minds of forest dwellers are manipulated by some people to make them go against the nation. Some associations are funded by foreign countries to carry out this job.

Such organisations think that it is easy to make the forest dwellers, who are facing problems, to revolt against the nation. One should not give a cause for the same. Even the forest dwellers can contribute to the development of the nation, he added.

Udupi Zilla Panchayat president Dinaker Babu, Pejawar Mutt junior seer Vishwaprasanna Swami, Prant president M S Venkatesh Sagar, state joint secretary Shantaram Siddi and Gopinath Kamath of the conference reception committee were present.