BJP govt in MP to privatise 40% of forests; wants to remove tribals, alleges Congress

New Delhi: The Congress on Monday claimed that the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh is going to privatise 40 per cent of forests and alleged that its objective is to remove tribals from their natural habitat.

Newly-appointed Adivasi Congress chairman Vikrant Bhuria alleged that the BJP is working to "weaken" the constitutional rights of the tribals and their lands were being "snatched away".

There was no immediate reaction from the BJP and Bhuria did not elaborate on his claims.

"Tribals are the original inhabitants of the country. Tribals have the most rights over this country. There are 12 crore tribals in this country, but they are not getting their rights. ...The BJP government is working to snatch away their rights," Bhuria said at a press conference at the Congress' 24, Akbar Road office here.

"The constitutional rights of the tribals are being weakened, their lands are being snatched away," he further alleged.

The aim of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act was to strengthen Panchayati Raj in the Scheduled Areas, as the needs and laws of tribals are different, he said.

"In this, the laws given to the Gram Sabhas are universally accepted, which means that self-governance in the village will be through the tribals. If you want to do any kind of work in the village, then you will have to take permission from the tribals. But the reality is that today even the tribals are not being consulted," Bhuria, the son of former Union minister from Madhya Pradesh Kantilal Bhuria, claimed.

At the same time, mining is being done in the entire tribal areas, he said.

"Due to which our lands are being snatched away and our people are also being put in jail," Bhuria said.

Noting that the Forest Rights Act gives tribals rights over forests, the Chairman of the Adivasi Congress said through forest committees, if any tribal wants a lease anywhere, then the forest committee can give the lease, but in reality the tribals are not getting any kind of rights.

"The BJP government in Madhya Pradesh is going to privatise 40 per cent of forests. The government says these forests have been ruined, so they will give them to private companies so that they can develop them. But what is being hidden is that tribals are settled in these forests, either they have pastures in these forests or they have agricultural lands," Bhuria said.

The BJP government of Madhya Pradesh wants to remove tribals from the forests, he alleged.