The Centre must empower forest-dwellers and strengthen legislation instead of bypassing the Forest Rights Act and playing into increased conflict
What did not raise much chatter last week was a hint that the ‘development’ juggernaut was considering scrapping the Forest Rights Act, using one of many backdoor methods available to bypass legislation.
It will force the country back to intense mineral-based conflict and also the never-ending struggle for land, which fill over-crowded court dockets. The regional parties that survive in and around forest areas live on the sentiment of "jal, jangal aur jameen" (water, forest and land). Ironically, the NDA government is considering this move to alienate tribals and forestdwellers around the time that marks the 10th anniversary of the merger of Leftwing extremist parties (along with their military factions) into the CPI(Maoist).
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