Bhopal. In Madhya Pradesh, the issue of tribal forest rights, land encroachment, eviction and displacement is once again in the spotlight. After a case of eviction of tribal families in Kosmi village of Budhni tehsil in Sehore district came to light, questions are being raised over the implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006, and the government's claims of being pro-tribal. Activists working for tribal rights allege that incidents of evicting tribals from their traditional homes and land are continuously coming to the fore in the state, while their claims and rights under the Forest Rights Act are not being effectively settled.
Activist and advocate Sunil Adivasi, targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party government, said that political parties are more interested in tribal votes than in tribal rights. Meanwhile, Neeraj Bariva, state president of the student wing of the Adivasi Vikas Parishad, said that governments make claims, but the tribal community is still struggling for water, forest, land and its constitutional rights.
The case of eviction of tribal families in Kosmi village of Budhni tehsil in Sehore district brings to the fore disputes related to tribal land rights in the state. Regarding this incident, tribal rights activists say that announcing relief for a particular village or a few families cannot provide a permanent solution to the problem. For this, effective implementation of the Forest Rights Act across the entire state is necessary.
According to Harsingh Jamre and Nasri Bai Ningwal of the Jagrit Adivasi Dalit Sangathan, the problems of the tribal community are not limited to eviction from homes alone. Allegations also keep surfacing from many places about agricultural land being taken away, crops being damaged, houses being demolished, and people being harassed through beatings or lawsuits for protesting.
Their question is: if a family's claim over forest land is under consideration under the law or its rights have not been determined, then how can eviction action be taken without a legal examination of their situation?
The purpose of the Forest Rights Act is to undo the historical injustice done to Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers and to recognize the individual and community forest rights of eligible people. In such a situation, ensuring coordination between the provisions of the law and eviction action is the responsibility of the government and the administration.
Activist and advocate Sunil Adivasi raised questions about the BJP's tribal politics in a conversation with The Mooknayak. He alleges that the BJP mainly sees tribals as a vote bank and, instead of resolving their real rights, performs political theatrics on their issues.
According to Sunil Adivasi, the discussion of the rights of the tribal community should not be limited to elections, political programs, or relief announced after an incident. The government should ensure that tribals are not arbitrarily deprived of their land, forests and livelihood.
Emphasizing the need for effective implementation of the Forest Rights Act, he said that the problems of tribals will not be solved by announcements, but through recognition of rights on the ground, impartial settlement of claims, and protection from eviction.
Tribal rights activists say that along with the ruling BJP in the state, opposition parties should also fix their accountability on this issue. Making statements in favor of affected families after an incident is not enough.
Neeraj Bariva, state president of the student wing of the Adivasi Vikas Parishad, raised questions about the state government's policies in a conversation with The Mooknayak. He said that the BJP has been in power in Madhya Pradesh for a long time, yet the basic problems of the tribal community persist.
Neeraj Bariva said, "The BJP has been in government for a long time. The deaths of Baiga tribals in Balaghat, sometimes being beaten to death, and today homes being demolished, people being evicted from land — this is what has been happening in the state. The government only makes claims, but the tribal is still fighting for water, forest, land and rights."
He says that along with providing basic facilities like education, health, nutrition, employment and land security to the tribal community, it is also necessary to protect its legal rights. If tribal families are continuously struggling to save their land and homes, then this is a subject for review of the government's policies and their implementation.
According to Bariva, instead of viewing the problems of tribals as separate incidents, there is a need to understand them in a broader social and administrative context. Impartial investigation into cases related to the deaths of children of the Baiga community in Balaghat, protection of tribal families, and adherence to legal procedure in cases of land eviction are necessary.
The question of tribal forest rights and displacement in Madhya Pradesh kept rising even during the long tenure of former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Tribal rights activists allege that serious shortcomings in the implementation of the Forest Rights Act persisted during that period as well, and tribal families had to struggle for rights related to land and forests in many areas.
Now, amid claims of protecting tribal interests in the state, the Kosmi village incident has once again raised the question of to what extent the benefits of the government's announcements are reaching affected families.
Activists say that announcing relief in one village or rehabilitation of a few families cannot solve the problems of all those tribal families whose forest rights claims are pending or who face the threat of eviction.
Tribal organizations have demanded that the status of forest rights claims in the state be made public, rejected claims be reviewed, and eligible families be given rights as per the law.
The debate related to tribal rights in Madhya Pradesh is not limited to eviction from forest land alone. Concerns of tribal communities and environmental activists have also been raised from time to time regarding development projects, mining and the use of forests.
Questions have long been raised about the impact of the Ken-Betwa Link Project on the forests and biodiversity of the Panna region. Transparency regarding the submergence area related to the project, use of forest land, and rehabilitation of affected communities, as well as review of environmental impacts, are important.
Similarly, in the Dhirouli area of Singrauli, there has been discussion about land acquisition for a coal mining project and its impact on forests and local communities. Tribal rights activists say that in development projects, priority should be given to the legal rights, rehabilitation and livelihood security of affected communities.
Questions have also been raised about deforestation and alleged timber smuggling in the Burhanpur and Khandwa regions. Activists allege that the burden of failure in forest conservation is often placed on local tribal communities, whereas accountability for large-scale exploitation of forest resources and alleged illegal activities must also be fixed.
Tribal rights activists also mentioned tribal families affected during last year's rains in the Khivni Sanctuary area of Dewas district. They say that the affected families are still waiting for action in line with the assurances given.
Apart from this, disputes related to land, residence and forest rights of tribal families are said to have come to the fore from many areas including Baladi panchayat in Burhanpur, Bhilaikheda in Khandwa, and Damoh, Mandla and Dindori.
According to activists, in these cases, transparency in administrative action, hearing of affected families and adherence to legal procedure are extremely important. If there is a dispute over a family's rights, it should be resolved under the relevant law and prescribed procedure.
District-wise government data is needed to know the actual number of tribal families facing the threat of eviction in the state and the current status of their claims. The full assessment of the problem cannot be made on the basis of political statements alone.
The process of settling claims under the Forest Rights Act has long been in discussion in Madhya Pradesh. Tribal rights activists have claimed that out of about six lakh forest rights claims in the state, around 3.6 lakh have already been rejected.
This figure draws attention to the challenges in the implementation of the Forest Rights Act. However, the latest official data is needed to confirm the total number of claims, the classification of individual and community claims, the status of rejected applications, and the settlements made after reconsideration.
After the developments in the Supreme Court in 2019 regarding forest rights claims and their process, the issue of review of claims has also been important. Against this background, the government should clarify whether eligible applicants in the rejected claims were given adequate opportunity to raise objections and submit necessary documents.
Under the Forest Rights Act, the Gram Sabha has an important role in the claims process. Claims should be examined as per the prescribed procedure, and applicants should be informed of the reasons for rejection. Ensuring access to the reconsideration and appeal procedures available under the law for eligible families is also necessary.
In Madhya Pradesh, programs are organized in memory of tribal heroes Birsa Munda, Tantya Mama and Bhima Nayak. Political parties present the struggles and contributions of these revolutionaries as an important medium for connecting with the tribal community. But tribal rights activists say that along with organizing programs in the names of these heroes, the core questions of their struggle- water, forest, land, dignity and self-determination, should also find a place in policies. Their question is: if there is talk of giving respect to the tribal community, then why are the protection of its homes, fields, forests and livelihood not given equal priority? True respect for the tribal community can be ensured only when its legal rights are protected and its voice is heard in administrative action.
Tribal rights activists and organizations demand that the Madhya Pradesh government conduct a comprehensive review of the implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006. Under this, the following steps are important:
District-wise data on pending, approved and rejected forest rights claims in the state should be made public.
Rejected claims should be reviewed and eligible applicants should be given justice as per the law.
Adherence to the law and prescribed procedure should be ensured in eviction actions.
The situation of families in Kosmi and other affected areas should be impartially investigated and action taken in accordance with their rights.
Rehabilitation, livelihood and legal rights of tribal families affected by development projects and mining should be ensured.
Complaints of violence against tribals, alleged illegal eviction and administrative misconduct should be impartially investigated and accountability fixed.
Ramu Tekam, state president of the Scheduled Tribe Department of the Madhya Pradesh Congress, also raised questions about the eviction of tribals and the implementation of the Forest Rights Act in a conversation with The Mooknayak. He said that claims of protecting tribal interests will be meaningful only when their rights over land are secure and they do not have to face eviction from their homes, fields and forests.
Ramu Tekam emphasized the need to fix the government's accountability on issues related to the tribal community. He said that the problems of tribals cannot be solved merely by assurances and announcements; rather, solid steps must be taken for effective implementation of the Forest Rights Act, impartial settlement of pending claims, and delivering justice to affected families.
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