The Congress accused the Narendra Modi government of abdicating its responsibility towards protecting tribal rights and alleged that the new forest conservation rules will disempower crores of “Adivasis” and others living in forest areas.
Accusing the BJP-led government of diluting the new forest conservation rules for the “ease of snatching forest land” former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said his party stands strongly with the “Adivasi brothers and sisters”.
“Modi-Mitr Sarkar at its crony best! For ease of snatching forest land, the BJP government has come up with new FC Rules, 2022 diluting UPA’s Forest Rights Act, 2006,” Gandhi wrote on Twitter.
“Congress stands strongly with our Adivasi brothers and sisters in their fight to protect Jal, Jungle and Zameen,” he added.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the new rules issued recently allow forest rights to be settled after the final approval for forest clearances has been granted by the Centre.
Obviously, this has been done in the name of ease of doing business for a chosen few but it will end the ease of living for the vast many, he said in a statement.
The former Union environment minister said this destroys the very purpose of the Forest Rights Act, 2006 and its meaningful use while considering proposals for diversion of forest land.
Once forest clearance is granted, everything else becomes a mere formality and almost inevitably, no claims will be recognised and settled, he said adding that the state governments will be under even greater pressure from the Centre to accelerate the process of diversion of forest land.
This was done to protect and promote the interests of tribal and other communities traditionally living in forest areas, Ramesh said.
