<p>Mumbai: At a time when the security forces and police have made significant gains in combating Naxalism and boosting infrastructure and mining projects in the Adivasi areas, veteran politician and tribal leader Arvind Netam urged the Centre to ensure that development has a human face and the issue of ‘jal', 'jangal', jameen’ are not ignored.</p><p>Besides, he said tribal areas are facing the issue of religious conversion besides Naxalism.</p><p>An ex-Congress man and a former MP, who hails from Chhattisgarh, Netam was a minister in the governments of Indira Gandhi and P V Narasimha Rao.</p>.Big success in fight against Naxalism: Top ultra Sudhakar gunned down in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur.<p>According to him, the Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act - popularly called PESA - has been “shattered” by the State governments while the Centre has turned a blind eye to it.</p><p>“The PESA, which was enacted to protect tribal autonomy and land rights, is routinely flouted…we all are from here, from this soil, no one is from outside,” Netam said in the presence of RSS chief Dr Mohan Bhagwat in Nagpur, addressing the Karyakarta Vikas Varg-2, the conclusion of the volunteer training programme on Thursday evening. </p><p>Citing the example of Chhattisgarh where PESA was ignored, he said: “In the last 25 years, none of the industrial licences issued adhered to the PESA. All of them were issued through fraudulent means.”</p><p>"If tribals are facing this, it is too much. I urge the RSS to take the matter seriously and try to find a solution for it," he said, pointing out that he had a one-on-one discussion with Dr Bhagwat on this issue.</p><p>“Conversion is a big challenge. There are big expectations from the Sangh. The Sangh will have to increase its speed on this front. Bastar is struggling with Naxalism and conversion,” he said, adding that only the Sangh and the society together can solve the issue.</p><p>A veteran politician, Netam indicated that after the successes in combating Naxalism, the government and forces could not be complacent. “If the Indian government sleeps, the same problem will crop up again,” he said about Maoism.</p><p>"Industrialisation is a huge challenge. Though necessary, it seems only tribals are asked to relocate. Despite laws meant to protect forests and tribal land, 'jal', 'jungle', 'jamin' (water, forest and land) are in danger," he said, adding that the rights of Adivasis need to be respected.</p><p>According to him, the land of tribals should not be acquired but taken on lease, respecting the community's deep connection to their land.</p><p>"A labourer wants to become an owner, but the owner of the land does not want to become a labourer," he said.</p><p>Netam, who hails from Bastar, had quit the Congress party before the 2023 Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly elections and floated the Hamar Raj Party, carved out of the Sarva Adivasi Samaj (SAS), an umbrella group of tribal organisations.</p>
<p>Mumbai: At a time when the security forces and police have made significant gains in combating Naxalism and boosting infrastructure and mining projects in the Adivasi areas, veteran politician and tribal leader Arvind Netam urged the Centre to ensure that development has a human face and the issue of ‘jal', 'jangal', jameen’ are not ignored.</p><p>Besides, he said tribal areas are facing the issue of religious conversion besides Naxalism.</p><p>An ex-Congress man and a former MP, who hails from Chhattisgarh, Netam was a minister in the governments of Indira Gandhi and P V Narasimha Rao.</p>.Big success in fight against Naxalism: Top ultra Sudhakar gunned down in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur.<p>According to him, the Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act - popularly called PESA - has been “shattered” by the State governments while the Centre has turned a blind eye to it.</p><p>“The PESA, which was enacted to protect tribal autonomy and land rights, is routinely flouted…we all are from here, from this soil, no one is from outside,” Netam said in the presence of RSS chief Dr Mohan Bhagwat in Nagpur, addressing the Karyakarta Vikas Varg-2, the conclusion of the volunteer training programme on Thursday evening. </p><p>Citing the example of Chhattisgarh where PESA was ignored, he said: “In the last 25 years, none of the industrial licences issued adhered to the PESA. All of them were issued through fraudulent means.”</p><p>"If tribals are facing this, it is too much. I urge the RSS to take the matter seriously and try to find a solution for it," he said, pointing out that he had a one-on-one discussion with Dr Bhagwat on this issue.</p><p>“Conversion is a big challenge. There are big expectations from the Sangh. The Sangh will have to increase its speed on this front. Bastar is struggling with Naxalism and conversion,” he said, adding that only the Sangh and the society together can solve the issue.</p><p>A veteran politician, Netam indicated that after the successes in combating Naxalism, the government and forces could not be complacent. “If the Indian government sleeps, the same problem will crop up again,” he said about Maoism.</p><p>"Industrialisation is a huge challenge. Though necessary, it seems only tribals are asked to relocate. Despite laws meant to protect forests and tribal land, 'jal', 'jungle', 'jamin' (water, forest and land) are in danger," he said, adding that the rights of Adivasis need to be respected.</p><p>According to him, the land of tribals should not be acquired but taken on lease, respecting the community's deep connection to their land.</p><p>"A labourer wants to become an owner, but the owner of the land does not want to become a labourer," he said.</p><p>Netam, who hails from Bastar, had quit the Congress party before the 2023 Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly elections and floated the Hamar Raj Party, carved out of the Sarva Adivasi Samaj (SAS), an umbrella group of tribal organisations.</p>