Madhya Pradesh adivasis end protest as officials agree to examine forest land claims

By Our Representative
Protesting under the banner of the civil rights group Jagrit Adivasi Dalit Sangathan (JADS), over a thousand Adivasis of Burhanpur district, Madhya Pradesh, who had occupied of Nepanagar tehsil office, have returned home with all their demands fulfilled, and the administration kick-starting verification of claims for entire district. They wanted steps for implementing the Forest Rights Act (FRA), even as opposing the Forest Conservation Rules 2022
Amidst songs and slogans of victory, the triumphant Adivasis ended the two day protest, insisting, their forest rights claims be verified through the Gram Sabha, and claims which were wrongfully processed be returned.
Another demand was that those who were wrongfully denied a chance to register their claims on the Madhya Pradesh Vanmitra portal, have their claims registered as per law. Adivasis were especially adamant over implementation of FRA recognizing that FRA implementation is being stalled deliberately to make forest diversion even easier, with the new changes in the Forest Connservation Rules, 2022.
During an earlier protest, on 24th January, thousands of Adivasis demanded that district administration immediately begin implementation of the FRA, warning district administration of launching a continuous protest until the process of their claims was completed.

Amidst changes in the Forest Conservation Rules, which grant in-principle agreement to projects and companies before the process of verification of Forest Rights Claims is completed, and which violates the rights of the Gram Sabha, Adivasis are adamant that the State is deliberately lagging on the implementation of the forest rights so that diversion of forests becomes even easier, said a JADS statement.
The two day protest began on 7th February. It ended after administration officials were forced to reach up to the people, who questioned them over their “failures”. Burhanpur district has seen multiple cases of FRA violations with people being implicated in false cases, attempted to be forcibly evicted, faced illegal firing, in the past 4-5 years, said JADS.
It added, even now, the forest departments continues to call Adivasi cultivators as "encroachers" and criminalizes them, extorts money for using tractors, threshing machines in their own fields. While the district has also seen unprecedented incidents of illegal felling as a result of the complicity of Forest Department Staff, who are taking bribes in exchange for "selling off" patches of land to those felling forest lands illegally, all of which continue to be resisted by the Adivasis of Burhanpur.

Comments

'Very low rung in quality ladder': Critique of ICMR study on 'sudden deaths' post-2021

By Bhaskaran Raman* Since about mid-2021, a new phenomenon of extreme concern has been observed throughout the world, including India : unexplained sudden deaths of seemingly healthy and active people, especially youngsters. In the recently concluded Navratri garba celebrations, an unprecedented number of young persons succumbed to heart attack deaths. After a long delay, ICMR (Indian Council for Medical Research) has finally has published a case-control study on sudden deaths among Indians of age 18-45.

SC 'appears to foster' culture of secrecy, does not seek electoral bond details from SBI

By Rosamma Thomas* In its order of November 2, 2023 on the case of Association for Democratic Reforms vs Union of India contesting constitutional validity of electoral bonds, the Supreme Court directed all political parties to give particulars of the bonds received by them in sealed covers to the Election Commission of India. SC sought that information be updated until September 2023.

Savarkar in Ahmedabad 'declared' two-nation theory in 1937, Jinnah followed 3 years later

By Our Representative One of the top freedom fighters whom BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi revere the most, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, was also a great supporter of the two nation theory for India, one for Hindus another for Muslims, claims a new expose on the man who is also known to be the original proponent of the concept of Hindutva.

Only 12% of schools RTE compliant: Whither 6% budgetary allocation for education?

By Ambarish Rai* Despite Indian state’s commitment of 6% GDP on education, the Finance Minister completely ignored right to education for children and strengthening implementation of RTE Act which makes education a fundamental right in her budget speech . The Right to Education (RTE) Forum, which is a collective of different stakeholders in education, condemns this neglect of a legal entitlement, which is unconstitutional and demand for overall increase in the budget to ensure improvement in learning outcomes and overall enhancement of quality education.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah* The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual.

Reject WHO's 'draconian' amendments on pandemic: Citizens to Union Health Minister

By Our Representative Several concerned Indian citizens have written to the Union Health Minister to reject amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR) of the World Health Organization (WHO) adopted during the 75th World Health Assembly (WHA75) in May 2022, apprehending this will make the signatories surrender their autonomy to the “unelected, unaccountable and the whimsical WHO in case of any future ‘pandemics’.”

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Our Representative Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Union Health Ministry, FSSAI 'fail to respond' to NHRC directive on packaged food

By Our Representative The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed deep concern over the adverse health effects caused by packaged foods high in salt, sugar, and saturated fats. Recognizing it as a violation of the Right to Life and Right to Health of Indian citizens, the quasi-judicial body called for a response from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regarding its selection of front-of-pack labels aimed at providing consumers with information to make healthier choices.

British companies export 'deadly' asbestos to India, other countries from offshore offices

Inside a UK asbestos factory in 1994 before the mineral was banned By Rajiv Shah “The Sunday Times”, which forms part of the powerful British daily, “The Times”, has raised the alarm that though the “deadly” asbestos is banned in Britain, companies registered in United Kingdom, and operating from other countries, “are involved in shipping it to developing nations”, especially India. India, Brazil, Russia and China account for almost 80% of the asbestos consumed globally every year, it adds.

Search This Blog